Catholic leaders call for peace, prayer after second person killed in Minneapolis by federal agents
Catholic leaders, including Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, called for peace and respect following the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis this month. The recent death involved 37-year-old Alex Pretti during federal immigration enforcement actions known as “Operation Metro Surge.” This incident occurred 17 days after another fatal shooting involving an ICE agent that resulted in the death of Renee Good. Archbishop Coakley quoted Pope Leo XIV, emphasizing that the Gospel should foster fraternity and peace among all people.
about 1 month ago
A 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent on January 24, 2026, during a targeted immigration enforcement operation.1 2 3
This marks the second such death in Minneapolis this month, following the January shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent.1 3
The incident occurred amid "Operation Metro Surge," an intensified federal immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities by DHS and ICE.1
USCCB President Archbishop Paul S. Coakley urged calm, restraint, and respect for human life, echoing Pope Leo XIV's January 25 Angelus address on fraternity and peace.1 2
Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis called for prayer for Pretti, his family, and all affected, emphasizing ridding hearts of hatred and prejudices toward undocumented neighbors, officials, and law enforcers.1 2 3
Hebda highlighted that true justice and peace require seeing all as brothers and sisters in God's image.3
The Cathedral of St. Paul opened for extended Eucharistic Adoration on January 25, followed by a Votive Mass for Peace at 5 p.m. led by Hebda.1 2 3
A Mass for Pretti, his family, and the community was held at 5:30 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis.1 2
Hebda invited all to join in prayer wherever they were, building on prior multifaith efforts.1
Federal officials claimed self-defense, stating Pretti approached agents armed with a handgun.1
CNN video analysis showed an agent removing a gun from Pretti but not him holding it; he was a lawful gun owner with a permit.2
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara demanded federal agents operate with discipline and noted limited information shared with local responders.1
Minnesota leaders rejected the federal account and are suing for an independent investigation.2
Protests have intensified against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement, with vigils for Pretti drawing hundreds.2
About 100 clergy were arrested January 23 at an airport protesting deportation flights, amid calls for work and school boycotts.2
Hebda's recent Wall Street Journal op-ed called for comprehensive immigration reform amid the "battleground" on Minnesota streets.3
Investigate Catholic teachings on state violence and human dignity
Catholic doctrine places human dignity at the core of moral and social order, rooted in man's creation in God's image and likeness, which calls each person to a vocation of divine beatitude through free deliberate actions conformed to God's good. This dignity entails inviolable rights prior to society, which the state must recognize as the basis of its moral legitimacy; failure to do so undermines authority, reducing it to force or violence. Revelation and reason affirm this dignity, rejecting any exaggerated autonomy that denies dependence on God, as true dignity is perfected in Him. Vatican II's Dignitatis Humanae grounds religious freedom in this dignity, declaring immunity from coercion in religious matters essential for persons endowed with reason and free will to seek truth responsibly.
The state derives its authority from solicitude for the common good, which realizes fully only when citizens' rights are secure, preventing oppression, violence, or terrorism as seen in totalitarian regimes. States possess rights to existence, self-development, and means to achieve these, including playing a leading role in their progress while respecting others' rights; pursuing self-interest through injury or oppression is criminal. Smaller states, too, hold rights to political freedom, neutrality, and economic development as postulates of natural and international law, fostering a moral order against violations of freedom and security. No state thrives in isolation; prosperity depends on mutual progress, binding political communities to the world community. The Church reminds leaders of these rights, distinguishing true from false claims.
While renouncing violence bears witness to charity, those using available defensive means without harming others' rights highlight the gravity of violence's risks. Legitimate defense by military force demands rigorous moral conditions: lasting, grave, certain damage by the aggressor; exhaustion of other means; serious success prospects; and no greater evils produced than eliminated, especially given modern destructive power. This reflects the just war tradition, a developing Catholic doctrine debated amid world wars, nuclear threats, and recent conflicts like Iraq and Libya, balancing continuity with adaptation to new realities such as holy war resurgence and multinational interventions.
Papal teaching from Benedict XV onward critiques modern warfare's excesses—termed "senseless slaughter" in World War I—prompting re-examination of just war amid weapons of mass destruction, emphasizing discrimination and proportionality. The classical doctrine (Gratian to Grotius) evolved post-1870 Vatican I proposals and interwar theologians toward contemporary emphases on international society, arbitration, and arms control, as in Pius XII's pronouncements. Contemporary teaching rejects holy war, framing intervention not as religious truth imposition but human rights protection, with a presumption against violence requiring grave reasons.
Coercion violates dignity, as Dignitatis Humanae insists no one be forced contrary to beliefs, aligning religious freedom with Christian faith's voluntary nature. Recent declarations condemn grave violations like violence against women—encompassing discrimination, sexual exploitation, coercive abortions, and polygamy—as contrary to equal dignity and conjugal love. Power's rights stem from respecting persons' inviolable rights, ensuring social justice.
Catholic teaching integrates human dignity as the unassailable foundation limiting state violence: authority serves the common good through rights protection, permitting force only under strict just war criteria amid evolving global challenges, while rejecting coercion, holy war, and disproportionate harm. This demands states prioritize moral legitimacy, mutual prosperity, and non-violent means where possible, with the Church as prophetic voice.