ATLANTA, Ga. — A group of Georgia state Democrats, including state Sen. Harold Jones from Augusta, have introduced a bill they say is designed is affirm Georgians right to bear arms and public protest.

Senate Resolution 605 was introduced Tuesday by state Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs) who, thus far, is the only announced Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in this fall’s midterm elections.

“After the killing of Alex Pretti, the Trump administration used Pretti’s rights —Americans’ rights — as justification for his killing,“ according to a statement from the Georgia Democratic Senate Caucus. ”The National Rifle Association has loudly calledfor the Trump administration to cease doing so because they understand Prettiwas not a dangerous criminal simply for exercising his constitutional rights.

“The resolution condemns the killing of Pretti and reasserts Georgians’ right to the Second Amendment,” the statement said. “The right to own and carry a firearm has been staunchly defended and repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court.”

Pretti was a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who worked at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Pretti was fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, 2026.

Co-signing McLaurin’s resolution were state Sens. Kim Jackson from Stone Mountain; Derek Mallow from Savannah; Ed Harbison from Columbus; David Lucas from Macon; Freddie Powell Sims from Dawson; Sonya Halpern from Atlanta; Jaha Howard from Smyrna; Nikki Merritt from Grayson; Nabilah Parkes from Duluth; Emanuel Jones from Decatur; Nan Orrock from Atlanta; Sheikh Rahman from Lawrenceville; Elena Parent from Atlanta; RaShaun Kemp from Atlanta; Sally Harrell from Atlanta; Michael “Doc” Rhett from Marietta; and Kenya Wicks from Fayette.

Pretti’s death has generated significant national attention and controversy, with various officials, news organizations, and advocacy groups.

On Tuesday, Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock visited Minneapolis, where he continued to condemn the shooting and called for the resignation of Kristi Noem, the director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Also on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said “big investigation” was underway into Pretti’s death.

“I want to see the investigation,” Trump said, according to the Associated Press. “I’m going to be watching over it, and I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself.”

The comment, according to the AP, is the latest marker of Trump’s sudden turnabout on the issue as his administration confronts growing pushback — including from some Republicans and Second Amendment advocates — on federal agents’ tactics in the second fatal shooting from the aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota.

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