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JD Vance has refused to apologize to the family of a Minneapolis nurse shot dead by immigration agents after he amplified claims the deceased was an 'assassin.'
The Vice President sat down for a wide-ranging exclusive interview with the Daily Mail on Tuesday, where he refused to admit any wrongdoing over spreading White House claims that Pretti intended to kill law enforcement.
Vance reposted allegations on X broadcast by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller branding Pretti 'an assassin' who 'tried to murder federal agents.'
When asked by the Mail if he would apologize for endorsing Miller's statement, Vance shot back: 'For what?'
'If something is determined that the guy who shot Alex Pretti did something bad, then a lot of consequences are going to flow from that. We'll let that happen,' Vance said. 'I don't think it's smart to prejudge the investigation.'
Pretti, who had a concealed carry permit, did not appear to have brandished his pistol and had been disarmed when he was shot ten times in less than five seconds.
Trump last week when asked if he agreed that Pretti was an 'assassin', told reporters: 'No.'
Miller has since admitted his statement was made in haste before the full facts were available and the Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether Pretti's civil rights were violated.
Vance refused to say whether the officers involved in shooting Pretti should face a criminal investigation if the FBI concludes they violated his civil rights.
Instead the Vice President argued that Pretti showed up with 'ill intent' to the January 24 protest.
Footage has since emerged showing Pretti taunting ICE agents for carrying pepper spray and daring them to 'soak me, motherf***er' just 11 days before his death.
Vance, a Yale Law graduate, said that an investigation would establish whether the officers had a reasonable fear of Pretti to use lethal force.
'I'm not going to prejudge these guys. I think that everybody is deserved the presumption of innocence in the American system of justice. That's how it's going to work,' the VP told the Mail.
Vance continued: 'If they find out that he violated the law, of course, you should face consequences for violating the law. But I'm not going to engage in conjecture about the different permutations of how this or that officer might have violated the law.
