A Second ICE Shooting in Minnesota

Thirty-seven-year-old Alex Pretti is dead and tensions are as high as ever in Minnesota after a second fatal shooting of a civilian by federal ICE agents in recent weeks. As was the case in the first shooting, the incident was captured on camera from many different angles and perspectives. Pretti, who was legally carrying a concealed weapon, stepped in after a female protestor was pushed by an ICE agent. After a brief scuffle, multiple agents tackled Pretti and took his weapon from his holster before shooting him multiple times.

In the aftermath, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Minesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and also deployed White House Border Czar to Minnesota to take over for U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Commander Gregory Bovino.

Analysis and eternal perspective: Yet again, two diametrically opposite narratives entrenched themselves at the speed of social media. But first, we as Jesus followers pause to pray comfort over the Pretti family, protection over the ICE agents deployed in Minnesota as well as the people of Minnesota, and for a peace that passes all understanding to descend over the entire situation (Philip. 4:7).

As for the narratives, they once again seem wholly incompatible with each other. On the one hand, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and USBP Commander Gregory Bovino described Pretti as the aggressor who was seeking to inflict “maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” On the other hand, Pretti’s defenders say he was peacefully and legally exercising his First and Second Amendment rights and was killed in cold blood.

There is essentially no common ground from which to start unless we start from neither of the two prevailing narratives. As we have before, we will defer to the ongoing legal process to sort these narratives out, and we will intentionally put on a different lens altogether and seek to breathe life into a story so consumed by death and destruction. 

If the following looks familiar, it is because it is the same biblical framework we used for the shooting in Minnesota just a couple weeks ago. As Jesus followers, our focus should be on the following:

- Both Alex Pretti and the agents involved have souls that are precious to God (Mk. 8:35-36).

- Law enforcement officials are in a place of authority, are to be respected, and carry out a very dangerous duty (Rom. 13:1-7).

- Speech (even unpopular speech and protest) is legally protected by the First Amendment, and carrying a firearm is protected by the Second Amendment and concealed carry laws. Acts of violence are not protected, and the legal process is responsible for dividing the two.

- We are to pray for both those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2) and our enemies (Matt 5:44).

Once again, the framework above will satisfy neither of the prevailing narratives. Perhaps that is because neither narrative is fully representative of the story. 

One thing is clear: The current approach is clearly not working.

Let’s you and I model the better way outlined above. It will be peculiar, and it is desperately needed.