OSV News / Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda called for prayer after police reported that a woman was pronounced dead following a shooting involving a federal agent in Minneapolis on January 7.
“Following the fatal shooting that occurred this morning in Minneapolis, I reiterate my call to all people of good will to join me in prayer for the deceased person, for her loved ones, and for our community,” said Archbishop Hebda, leader of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, in a statement following the incident, referring to his prayer request from December 23, when immigration enforcement measures in the Twin Cities raised concerns for some about attending Christmas Masses.
The January 7 incident occurred in the area of 34th Street and Portland Avenue, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. The woman shot by an agent of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been identified by Minnesota media as Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother and poet from Colorado.
During a press conference, O’Hara said police responded to the area after receiving a report that a federal agent had been involved in an incident involving deadly force, “which means that shots had been fired.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicated on social media that “ICE agents in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations” on January 7. Upon arrival, O’Hara said the agents found a woman who had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. O’Hara said CPR and other life-saving measures were performed on her, and the woman was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
O’Hara said the preliminary investigation of the incident indicated that the woman “was in her vehicle and blocking the roadway on Portland Avenue, halfway between 33rd and 34th Streets in the city.”
“At some point, a federal agent approached her on foot and the vehicle began to drive away. At least two shots were fired. Then, the vehicle crashed into the curb.” O’Hara said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are among the agencies investigating the incident. “It has been a very difficult moment for everyone in the city and, obviously, this is a very, very tragic situation in which a woman has lost her life.”
“We have feared this moment since the early stages of ICE’s presence in Minneapolis,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey during his remarks at the press conference.
“We ask the community to continue praying for peace,” said O’Hara. Frey agreed: “Let us unite around hope, love, peace, and justice, that’s what we have to do right now.”
Archbishop Hebda, in his statement published in English and Spanish, called on all people to “lower the tone of the rhetoric, end unfounded speculation, and begin to see all people as created in the image and likeness of God.” He stated: “This is as true for our immigrant brothers and sisters as it is for our elected officials and those responsible for enforcing our laws”.
He also said he wanted to echo the “repeated call of the Catholic bishops of the United States for us to unite as a nation and pass meaningful immigration reform that does justice to all parties.”
He indicated that the issue will become “more divisive and violent” the longer the country refuses to address it. “Only by working together, with God’s help, will we achieve peace in our communities, our state, and the world.”