U.S. Bishops have responded to the fatal shooting of a second US citizen by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday.
A Vatican News article about the latest killing identified the deceased as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse. His death follows the fatal-shooting of 37-year-old mother and poet Renée Good. The Vatican News article emphasized that Pretti, who was allegedly carrying a gun when he encountered ICE agents, was licensed to carry a weapon and the gun was legally registered. It also highlighted that videos show Pretti was not brandishing a gun at the time of the confrontation and his weapon appeared to be confiscated by an agent prior to Pretti being shot repeatedly.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda, the Archbishop of Minneapolis, released a statement yesterday in which he asked the faithful to join him in prayer for Pretti and his family. The archbishop acknowledged the thirst for justice and the hunger for peace that has gripped the city and nation. He emphasized that such peace will not be achieved until we see everyone – “undocumented neighbors,” officials, and law enforcement, alike – as brothers or sisters who were created in God’s image. Archbishop Hebda held a Votive Mass for the preservation of peace at 5pm in the Cathedral of St. Paul in Minneapolis. Additionally, the Sunday evening Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary was offered for Pretti, his family, and the community.
The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Coakley, shared a message urging “calm, restraint, and respect for human life” in Minneapolis. He reminded public authorities of their duty to protect the well-being of the people and the common good. Archbishop Coakley also reiterated previous calls for dialogue. He finished with a quotation from Pope Leo:
“Peace is built on respect for people!”
Where Peter Is reminds readers that recent technological advances have allowed disinformation to spread – even through video and photography. Given the discrepancies between federal statements about the incidents in Minnesota and witness testimonies/video evidence, we encourage fact-checking all sources of information related to the recent shootings and ensuring that news sources are credible.
Image: “20250610_5578” (CC BY 2.0) by paul goyette
Ariane Sroubek is a writer, school psychologist and mother to two children here on earth. Prior to converting to Catholicism, she completed undergraduate studies in Bible and Theology at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. She then went on to obtain her doctorate in School and Child Clinical Psychology. Ariane’s writing is inspired by her faith, daily life experiences and education. She is currently writing a women's fiction novel and a middle-grade mystery series. Her non-fiction book, Raising Sunshine: A Guide to Parenting Through the Aftermath of Infant Death is available on Amazon. More of her work can be found at https://mysustaininggrace.com.
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