On the death of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, we pray for his repose, demand accountability

Photo: Alex Jeffrey Pretti via Facebook.

The recent violence in Minneapolis-St. Paul has left our community reeling as we once again witness the devastating cost of documenting the truth.

The death of a saint, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who dedicated his life to healing others at the VA hospital [a hospital I have personally walked through], marks another tragic chapter in the escalating tension between federal enforcement and the citizens they are sworn to protect.

Pretti was killed by ICE agents while peacefully documenting their tactics [using techniques I have myself been trained to do], a scene that mirrors the heartbreaking loss of a fellow saint, Renee Nicole Good, under similar circumstances.

These events are not isolated incidents but represent a systemic failure that calls for the urgent attention of the Church.

The role of the bystander has become a modern form of bearing witness. When individuals like Pretti use their voices and their cameras to advocate against unfair treatment, they are engaging in a deeply moral act.

They are standing in the gap for those who are being harassed, ensuring that the light of transparency reaches the shadows of aggressive enforcement.

To see a healer and a citizen treated with such lethal force while remaining unarmed is a profound affront to the sanctity of life and the principles of justice we hold dear.

However, the tragedy is compounded by the narrative being pushed in the aftermath.

The Department of Homeland Security has characterized Alex as an armed man wielding a handgun, allegedly bent on massacring federal agents. Yet, a frame-by-frame analysis of the available video by The New York Times has now refuted every single one of these claims. The footage shows that Alex never unholstered or even touched his concealed carry handgun.

Despite this clear evidence, millions of people are accepting the official lie, dismissing the documented truth in favor of a narrative that justifies state violence.

As people of faith, we must grapple with the danger of a society where the truth is discarded to protect those in power.

It is particularly painful to see fellow Christians, including some PCUSA pastors, lending their voices to this false narrative.

When we prioritize political alignment or a desire for "order" over the clear, documented suffering of our neighbors, we risk turning our faith into a tool for state-sanctioned violence rather than a vessel for Christ's peace.

To my colleagues in the pulpit:

We cannot preach the Gospel of truth on Sunday while endorsing a lie on Monday.

Our allegiance must be to the One who stood with the marginalized, not to the powers that execute them in the street.

As members of the PCUSA, we believe that our faith compels us to seek justice and love mercy. This means we cannot remain silent when those advocating for LGBTQ neighbors, people of color, and undocumented residents are met with violence.

The pattern of targeting documenting bystanders and then slandering their memory is an attempt to stifle the collective conscience of our society. We must recognize that the aggressive tactics used by federal agents affect the entire community, creating an atmosphere of fear that undermines the safety of every person, regardless of their citizenship status.

In the face of such grief, our response must be rooted in both prayer and action.

We mourn with the families of Alex Jeffrey Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, recognizing the immense void their absences leave in the Twin Cities and beyond.

Our mourning must also lead us to demand accountability and reform.

We are called to stand with the vulnerable and to support those who risk their own safety to document systemic overreach.

The pursuit of a more just world requires us to protect the right to witness and to ensure that no more lives are lost in the struggle for dignity and human rights.

Let us pray:

God of justice and compassion, we come to you with heavy hearts, burdened by the news of lives cut short by the very systems intended to provide order.

We lift up the soul of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a man who spent his days healing the sick and his final moments standing for the oppressed. We remember Renee Nicole Good and all those who have been silenced while trying to speak truth to power.

Comfort their families in this time of immeasurable grief and wrap them in a peace that surpasses all understanding.

We ask for your guidance as we navigate a world where violence often overshadows mercy and where lies are spread to obscure the truth.

Grant us the courage to be witnesses of your love in the public square. Soften the hearts of those in positions of authority, that they might see the inherent dignity in every human being.

Strengthen our resolve to seek a society where transparency is not met with force, and where the act of documenting injustice does not require the ultimate sacrifice.

Lead us, as a Church, to be instruments of your peace and relentless seekers of your righteousness.

Amen.