UFC’s Sean Strickland Clashes With NRA Over Fatal ICE Shooting of Alex Pretti
Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has sparked controversy after defending the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, placing the outspoken fighter at odds with major gun rights organizations including the National Rifle Association.
Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs facility, was shot and killed on January 24, 2026, during an immigration enforcement operation. Video footage analyzed by multiple media outlets shows Pretti filming agents with his cell phone before being pepper-sprayed and wrestled to the ground by several federal agents. One agent appears to remove a firearm from Pretti’s waistband before another agent opens fire, discharging at least ten shots within five seconds.
Sean Strickland Defends Fatal ICE Shooting of Alex Pretti, Drawing Criticism From Gun Rights Groups
Strickland took to Twitter to argue that Pretti, who held a valid Minnesota permit to carry a concealed weapon, had engaged in behavior that justified the use of deadly force. In a series of posts, the UFC fighter stated that no concealed carry permit holder would reach for a weapon or magazine while being arrested. “Nobody with a CCW is reaching for a mag or gun while being arrested,” Strickland wrote. He characterized Pretti’s actions as the result of radicalization, adding: “This is a case of being radicalized. In my opinion he wanted to die. NO CCW HOLDER WOULD BE THAT STUPID. It was intentional.”
The fighter, who is known for carrying a firearm and recently brought Kyle Rittenhouse to his Las Vegas gym, further stated that reaching for any object from a holster during an arrest “will result in your death 100 percent of the time.”
Strickland’s position has created an unusual split within pro-gun circles. The NRA, typically aligned with conservative voices, issued a statement calling for a “full investigation” into Pretti’s death. The organization specifically criticized remarks from Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, who posted on social media: “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Don’t do it!”
Gun Rights Groups
The NRA responded sharply to Essayli’s statement: “This sentiment from the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California is dangerous and wrong. Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens.”
The incident has prompted responses from across the political spectrum. Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican and gun rights advocate, criticized Essayli’s statement: “Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it’s a Constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don’t understand this you have no business in law enforcement or government.”
Gun Owners of America, representing two million members, issued an even stronger condemnation. The organization emphasized that “the Second Amendment protects Americans’ right to bear arms” and demanded a complete Department of Justice investigation. The group criticized federal claims that agents are justified in shooting concealed carry license holders who are lawfully carrying firearms.
Minnesota officials confirmed that Pretti possessed a legal permit to carry and had no criminal record. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that Pretti was believed to have been legally licensed to carry a firearm. Videos verified by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters show Pretti holding a cell phone in the moments before being tackled, with no evidence he brandished his weapon.
According to witness statements and video analysis, Pretti had positioned himself between a federal agent and a woman who had been pushed to the ground. He wrapped his arm around the woman before agents tackled him. Frame-by-frame analysis by The Wall Street Journal shows “a federal officer pulling a handgun away from Pretti. Less than a second later, an agent fires several rounds.”
Strickland’s stance also drew attention due to his recent association with Rittenhouse, who was acquitted in 2021 after fatally shooting two individuals during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The Department of Homeland Security maintained that Pretti “approached” officers with a firearm and “violently resisted” attempts to disarm him. However, Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, went further, labeling Pretti a “domestic terrorist” who had “tried to assassinate federal law enforcement” hours after the shooting, before any investigation had occurred.
Pretti’s family released a statement calling the federal government’s characterization of their son “reprehensible and disgusting.” They stated: “Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down.”
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus stated: “Every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to keep and bear arms—including while attending protests, acting as observers, or exercising their First Amendment rights. These rights do not disappear when someone is lawfully armed, and they must be respected and protected at all times.”
Sean Strickland’s Stance on Guns
Strickland has developed a reputation for controversial statements on gun rights, gender, and politics. He has criticized gun control laws in both Australia and Canada, calling Australians “English white trash” at a UFC 312 press conference in Sydney and denouncing the country for enacting firearm restrictions following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. “You had one mass shooting and surrendered all your firearms, that was somewhat pathetic,” Strickland stated. He has similarly attacked Canadian gun policies while berating a reporter over questions about his past remarks.
The fighter has also faced widespread condemnation for statements about women and the LGBTQ community. In January 2022, Strickland posted on social media: “If I had a gay son I would think I failed as a man to create such weakness.” At a UFC 297 press conference in Toronto, he launched into an extended rant calling transgender identity a “mental illness” and stating: “You are an infection. You are the definition of weakness.” Strickland has repeatedly criticized women’s mixed martial arts, stating: “No one wants to watch this [expletive]. Just what it is.”
Strickland also showed support for gun ownership in the Charlie Kirk shooting incident. He nearly pulled out a gun during a surprise party and brandished a weapon when dealing with children.
Beyond gun politics, Strickland has repeatedly advocated for traditional gender roles, arguing that women should leave the workforce and return to domestic responsibilities. At a June 2023 UFC press conference, he stated: “We need to go back to like 1942, we need to put women back into the kitchen.” He has blamed women entering the workforce for lower wages and children, claiming America “f-cked up” by allowing women to vote. Strickland, who once sold merchandise bearing the slogan “A Woman In Every Kitchen, A Gun In Every Hand,” has maintained that women have “lost their place” in society.
Strickland, who has previously voiced support for ICE enforcement operations and defended a separate fatal shooting of protester Renee Nicole Good on January 7, remains scheduled to fight Anthony Hernandez at UFC Fight Night 267 on February 21 in Houston.
