An increasing number of Minnesotans are reportedly buying guns amid tensions between communities and federal immigration enforcement agencies.
The trend materialized after two high-profile shootings of U.S. citizens by Border Patrol and ICE agents. The killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old gun owner who was protesting against immigration authorities in Minneapolis, sparked a debate over how gun owners should conduct themselves.
From NBC News:
At the Stock & Barrel Gun Club’s two locations near Minneapolis, the classes for people seeking a permit to carry a firearm almost always draw large crowds.
“It’s usually in the hundreds,” David Taylor, the club’s CEO, said.
But since immigration enforcement agents flooded the city, sparking clashes in the streets and the killing of two protesters, interest in the classes has only grown. In just the past two weeks, Taylor said, his club has received four times the usual number of sign-ups.
That does not appear to be an anomaly. Five firearm instructors in the Minneapolis area told NBC News they have seen a similar trend. The sudden interest, they say, is a reflection of the fear and uneasiness that has gripped the region amid the ongoing turmoil in the streets.
“It’s very typical whenever there is a black swan incident,” Taylor said, using a term for unexpected events with far-reaching consequences.
“People tend to panic and want to run out to get their permits,” he added.
Gun rights groups blast Trump over Minnesota response
— Naeema WorldPeace (@naeema_nimco) January 27, 2026
Gun ownership advocates are pushing back against the Trump administration over its response to the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday.
https://t.co/R9fQ2vm2Dw via @politico
Minnesota recently passed new gun control laws after multiple mass shootings. In 2022, the state legislature enacted a slew of gun restrictions, including background checks for all gun sales, a red flag law, and others.
GOA Confronts Media & Democrat Hypocrisy On The Minnesota Shooting!
— Politically Incorrect (@DirtyCitizen) January 29, 2026
Democrats, The biggest hypocrites EVER!
Gun Owners of America: https://t.co/ytz5AV0YAs
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The state passed another gun law in 2025 prohibiting 18 to 20-year-olds from obtaining permits to carry. The Eight Circuit Court of Minnesota struck down the law, ruling that the state did not demonstrate that young adults posed a higher danger to public safety that would warrant the restriction.
The increase in gun ownership in Minnesota is likely a short-term response to the unrest happening in cities like Minneapolis, especially with anti-gunners occupying positions of power in the state.