Spokesperson Defends Officers Amid Gun-Brandishing Questions (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: It looked to us from every angle, sir, that he was approached by them when he was helping another individual who was pushed down. What evidence do you have that he was assaulting any law enforcement?

[00:00:13] Speaker 2: Dana, we don't need a suspect's help in an active law enforcement scene. When you say suspect, what is he suspected of? That's an active law enforcement scene. He knew that was an active law enforcement scene, especially when the officers approached him and it's very evident he did not need to be where he was.

[00:00:31] Speaker 1: When somebody is pushed down and a person's instinct is to help that person, when somebody's pushed down by law enforcement, you're saying that you just stand back and let law enforcement do what they're doing?

[00:00:42] Speaker 2: You know, Dana, every situation is different. What our officers are faced with here in Minneapolis are chaotic, very difficult and violent situations in which individuals and this suspect is not the only one to bring a loaded weapon to a riot. The situations are chaotic and ever-changing. Follow directions for law enforcement. Don't inject yourself knowingly beforehand into a law enforcement situation.

[00:01:11] Speaker 1: With respect, it feels as though in some ways you're blaming the victim here.

[00:01:17] Speaker 2: The victims are the Border Patrol agents. I'm not blaming the Border Patrol agents. The victim are the Border Patrol agents. The suspect put himself in that situation. The victims are the Border Patrol agents there.

[00:01:29] Speaker 1: I just want to also go back to what I was asking about with regard to what Secretary Noem said, that he was brandishing a gun. At any point, do you have any evidence that yes, he had a gun on his person? Was he brandishing it?

[00:01:44] Speaker 2: We heard the law enforcement say gun, gun, gun. So at some point, they knew there was a gun. So again, that is going to be part of that investigation as to what was happening on the ground there between those victims, the Border Patrol agent victims and the suspect.