By Rebecca Omastiak | The Catholic Spirit
Archbishop Bernard Hebda is continuing his call for prayers after police said a woman was pronounced dead following a shooting involving a federal agent in Minneapolis Jan. 7.
“Following this morning’s deadly shooting in Minneapolis, I reiterate my plea for all people of good will to join me in prayer for the person who was killed, for their loved ones, and for our community,” Archbishop Hebda said in a statement following the incident, which occurred in the area of 34th Street and Portland Avenue, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
During a news conference, O’Hara said police responded to the area after receiving a report of a federal law enforcement officer being involved in a deadly force incident, “meaning shots had been fired.”
St. Cloud Bishop Patrick Neary, CSC, added his own sentiment, emphasizing the importance of modeling the Gospel.
“Whenever fear or violence touches even one member of our community, the whole Church is called to respond with the compassion and clarity of the Gospel,” Bishop Neary said. “In this moment, each of us, regardless of where we stand on this issue, are called to model the Gospel not only in our words but in our actions — accompanying those who are afraid, upholding the sanctity of human life and bearing witness to justice. We are called to stand together as a sign of hope and peace for our communities.”
On the same day as the incident, a previously-planned prayer service was held by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict at Sacred Heart Chapel in St. Joseph.
The service, titled “Coming together in solidarity: Praying for just treatment of immigrants,” began by reading a portion of the November 2025 message from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants,” the sisters read.
The gathering in St. Joseph drew together a diversity of neighbors from across the region, including St. Cloud resident Elizabeth Feigh.
“I thought to myself, ‘What can I do?’ I know I can pray. And often, prayer leads to action,” Feigh said.
Rev. Marianne Zitzewitz from St. John’s Episcopal Church in St. Cloud said she felt compelled to attend the ecumenical gathering for prayer.
“I am feeling concerned about our community members who are suffering and also concerned that others in our community are not concerned because they see the suffering as someone else’s problem,” Rev. Zitzewitz said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicated on social media that “ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations” Jan. 7.
Upon arrival, O’Hara said officers found a woman who had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. O’Hara said CPR and other life-saving measures were administered and the woman was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.
O’Hara said a preliminary investigation into the incident indicated the woman “was in her vehicle and was blocking the roadway on Portland Avenue, midway between 33rd Street and 34th Street in the city.
“At some point, a federal law enforcement officer approached her, on foot, and the vehicle began to drive off. At least two shots were fired. The vehicle then crashed on the side of the roadway,” O’Hara said.
O’Hara said law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident.
“This has been a very difficult time for everyone in the city and this is obviously a very, very tragic situation where a woman has lost her life,” O’Hara said.
“We’ve dreaded this moment since the early stages of this ICE presence in Minneapolis,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said during his remarks at the news conference.
“We ask that the community continue to call for peace,” O’Hara said. Frey agreed. “Let’s unite around hope and love and peace and getting justice, that’s what we need to be doing right now,” Frey said.
As investigations continue and communities across Minnesota grapple with the shock and sorrow of this tragedy, Bishop Neary reiterated that it is good for faith leaders and local residents alike to turn to prayer and solidarity.
“In times such as these, when our neighbors are frightened and a life has been lost, the Gospel demands more of us — not less,” he said. “We must be unwavering in our commitment to protect all human dignity. Our witness must be one of compassion, courage and truth.
“I ask our Catholic community to respond with faith, trusting that Christ walks with us: with accompaniment, especially for families who feel vulnerable or afraid, and with witness, showing through our actions that the love of Christ is stronger than fear, division or violence.”
To read the US bishops statement on immigration, click here. For Bishop Neary’s statements and local resources, click here.
Above photo: Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, speaks next to community activists and leaders during a vigil for a 37-year-old woman who was shot in her car by a U.S. immigration agent, according to local and federal officials, in Minneapolis Jan. 7, 2026. (OSV News photo/Tim Evans, Reuters)
Thanks for getting this important tragic event into the weekly news as it just occurred. The Christian reply of prayer and action after prayer is augmented by Jaylani Husseein’s pic of the service. Jaylani is a good man and as a Muslim also shares the message of justice and peace