
Stephen Miller, a hard-line but influential ally of US President Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that the death of a protester in Minneapolis on Saturday may have been due to a breach of protocol by the federal agents who shot him.
This is a dramatic change of tone in a case in which the White House has so far been steadfast in its support for the agents.
"Reinforcements were sent to Minnesota for a protection mission, they were to be deployed for rapid operations to erect a barrier between arrest teams and protesters. We are investigating why a Border Patrol (CBP) team may not have followed protocol," Miller said in a written statement.
After the death of Alex Pretty, Steven Miller rushed to defend the agents who shot the 37-year-old intensive care nurse, whom he called a "potential killer."