By Emmanuel Bobby
At the Stock & Barrel Gun Club’s two locations near Minneapolis, classes for people seeking a permit to carry a firearm have historically drawn hundreds of participants.
“It’s usually in the hundreds,” said David Taylor, the club’s CEO.
But since federal immigration enforcement agents arrived in the city, sparking clashes in the streets and the fatal shootings of two citizens, interest in the classes has skyrocketed. Over the past two weeks, Taylor said, his club has received four times the usual number of sign-ups.
This surge is not unique to Stock & Barrel. Five firearms instructors in the Minneapolis area reported similar trends, citing a reflection of the fear and uneasiness gripping the region amid the ongoing turmoil.
“It’s very typical whenever there is a black swan incident,” Taylor said, referring to an unexpected event with far-reaching consequences. “People tend to panic and want to run out to get their permits.”
To obtain a permit to carry in Minnesota, applicants must submit an application to their county sheriff and provide documentation of certified training in the safe use of a pistol. State law allows the weapon to be carried concealed.
R. Steven Rogers, who owns a private security company in Minneapolis and offers firearm training on the side, said he has been inundated with inquiries.
“Most are people afraid of ICE,” Rogers said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “There are some who are afraid of generalized violence.” He also received calls from two individuals interested in hiring security guards to protect their homes, which he described as “very unusual.”
Tensions in Minneapolis began escalating earlier this month with the arrival of roughly 3,000 federal agents tasked with immigration enforcement. The fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, intensified fears throughout the city.
Pretti’s killing has particularly rattled Second Amendment advocates. An intensive care nurse, he was recording federal agents with his phone when bystander video shows him stepping in between officers and a woman who had been pushed to the ground. Several officers sprayed him with a chemical agent before restraining him on the pavement. Video shows an officer emerging from the altercation with a gun taken from Pretti’s holster.
An officer can be heard yelling, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times before a Border Patrol agent fired at close range, according to a Department of Homeland Security report. A second officer also discharged a weapon. The report did not indicate that Pretti attacked officers or brandished a gun, despite claims made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
White House adviser Stephen Miller described Pretti as a “would-be assassin,” while Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino claimed he intended to “massacre” federal agents. FBI Director Kash Patel criticized Pretti for carrying a loaded firearm to a protest.
These comments drew pushback from Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus leadership.
“It’s just factually inaccurate,” said Bryan Strawser, chairman of the caucus. “It’s not illegal to bring a loaded gun to a protest. It happens all the time.” Strawser noted that Minnesota law specifically allows permit holders to carry concealed weapons, though they are required to carry identification and proof of permit when in possession of a firearm.
High-profile cases in other states, like Kyle Rittenhouse in Wisconsin, have also shaped public perceptions. Rittenhouse carried a loaded rifle to a protest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake and fatally shot two people. He was later acquitted of all charges and widely praised in conservative circles, a contrast to the Pretti incident, which drew criticism from federal authorities.
Local firearms experts noted that Pretti’s handgun—a Sig Sauer P320-AXG Combat with a detachable sight—was legally obtained and is typically favored by law enforcement and military veterans. “That is not the sort of gun you would expect someone who is untrained to carry,” said Scott Sweetow, a former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives official. John McConkey, president of The Modern Sportsman gun shop, confirmed the pistol was obtained legally with a background check.
Federal authorities have said Pretti did not carry a government-issued ID or permit at the time of the shooting, which under Minnesota law is punishable by a $25 fine. Some firearms experts questioned why he would go out armed without identification if he intended to engage federal agents. Strawser defended Pretti, saying the infraction was minor and irrelevant to the fatal encounter.
The increased interest in firearms extends to instructors across the city. Erik Pakieser, a Minneapolis-based firearms trainer and law enforcement veteran, reported that a permit-to-carry class scheduled the day after Pretti’s death grew from six to 25 participants.
“What I am seeing consistently is people who were historically not interested in guns—or even opposed to gun ownership—seeking that out now because they’re looking out the window and seeing what’s going on, and they’re saying this is no longer theoretical,” Pakieser said.
Historically, periods of unrest have triggered similar spikes in interest. Following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, Minneapolis-area instructors reported a surge in people seeking firearm training, reflecting a widespread desire for personal protection during uncertain times.
“In any other time, I would be very willing to help you out,” said one veteran instructor with more than 25 years of experience, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Right now, it’s just too dicey.”
As Minneapolis continues to grapple with heightened federal enforcement and public unrest, local gun instructors expect the surge in classes and firearm inquiries to continue, signaling the deep anxiety and uncertainty felt across the city.
Original article
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