I was listening to Scott Horton’s new podcast Provoked with Daryl Cooper when they mentioned something I hadn’t heard anywhere else: that Alex Pretti was carrying a SIG Sauer P320, it allegedly misfired, and the resulting confusion led to ICE shooting him. That claim immediately stood out because none of the reporting I’ve seen on the incident mentions a misfire, let alone one involving the P320.
What does exist is an article that claims the video showing Pretti’s gun misfiring was AI‑generated [1]. Another piece—from the gun‑control‑oriented outlet The Trace—focuses on longstanding concerns about the P320 handgun itself [2]. The P320 has been controversial for years [3], despite being widely issued across U.S. law enforcement and the military. Even the Air Force Global Strike Command temporarily pulled the SIG M18 from service not long ago [4].
Several police departments have also withdrawn the P320 from use and filed suit against SIG Sauer [5], though that case was dismissed [6]. On the civilian side, a class‑action lawsuit over alleged “uncommanded discharges” ended in a settlement [7], even as SIG Sauer continued to deny any design flaw. Anyone who spent time in the online 2A community will remember the running joke—“No Drop Ur Sig”—which became a meme and even a morale patch. The humor only worked because the underlying concern was already widely understood.
When a federal shooting intersects with a gun that’s spent years in litigation over alleged accidental discharges, it’s a cue to look hard at what’s documented, what’s rumor, and what’s being stitched into the narrative.
Sources:
2. Why Did Trump Blame the Pretti Shooting on a “Dangerous Gun”?
3. The Complete P320 Uncommanded Discharge Discussion
4. Sig M18 Pistols Pulled From Use By Air Force Global Strike Command
5. Sig Sauer faces class action lawsuit in Washington over P320 handgun
6. Judge dismisses Sig Sauer lawsuit over police academy handgun ban
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