On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” FBI Director Kash Patel stated that in a situation like in Minnesota over the weekend, “it’s not smart to go out there with a fully-loaded weapon. We’re just saying be careful and be reasonable,” and “if you have the right to a permit for a firearm, that’s okay, but you cannot incite violence, and you cannot break the law and attack law enforcement officers.”
Host Sean Hannity asked, [relevant exchange begins around 3:30] “I have told people on-air, [who have asked] well, Hannity, what gun should I get? I said, the one you’re willing to get trained in the safe use of. And I’ve also told stories that…if I knew I was on camera and I could get away from a confrontation, knowing that I had the ability to defend myself, I would turn and hightail it and run, rather than ever have to pull out a weapon. Don’t — if you have a weapon, do you belong in an environment that is as contentious as this weekend, do you bear responsibility, knowing that you have a firearm with you, what that could do to a situation?”
Patel answered, “Well, Sean, like you said, we truly, fully support the 2nd Amendment and people’s right to bear arms. But when you enter into a situation, a volatile situation like Minnesota, where there have been riots on the streets and people attacking federal law enforcement officers and ramming them with vehicles and continued criminality and burning down and literally destroying federal vehicles and stealing information, we have to ask people what’s prudential, what’s smart? And it’s not smart to go out there with a fully-loaded weapon. We’re just saying be careful and be reasonable, like you’ve outlined, if you have the right to a permit for a firearm, that’s okay, but you cannot incite violence, and you cannot break the law and attack law enforcement officers.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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