Faith Leaders Speak Out About Shooting and Riots in Minneapolis Suburb

by christiannewsjournal
Police

Editor’s Note: This story is still unfolding and ongoing. More details are expected to come forth.

As police arrested dozens of rioters during a fourth night of violence last night in suburban Minneapolis—where a police officer shot a young black man dead on Sunday night during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center—many faith leaders are voicing their heartfelt concerns about the tragedy.

“This is a very sad time,” Nick Hall, a Minneapolis-based evangelist and founder and chief communicator of Pulse, a prayer-based ministry, told Christian News Journal on Wednesday.

He was addressing the larger environment in America as well in his comments, due to stresses related to COVID-19, isolation, and lockdowns; ongoing political divisiveness in the country; economic strains and challenges; and so much more.

During “incredibly hard times” for so many, Hall emphasized the need to stay connected to God and to God’s Word—to “the rock,” to “the lamp.”

“I think there has to be an intentional connection to the Father, to the North Star,” he added, in order to remain focused on faith, on doing the right thing in our lives, on remembering our larger purpose on this earth—and on being a person who embraces God’s Word.

When Daunte Wright, 20, was pulled over by police on Sunday evening, he was driving with expired license plate tags; he also had an open warrant related to an armed-robbery case.

“Wright should not have died, but racism had nothing to do with it,” columnist Miranda Devine wrote in an opinion piece in The New York Post on Thursday morning.

Wright resisted arrest and tried to escape. That’s when an officer intended to use her Taser on him, calling out, “Taser, taser, taser,” as police body cam video showed later.

Instead, the officer apparently mistakenly fired her gun.

Kimberly Potter, 48, resigned from the force and is now being charged in Wright’s death. The police chief, Tim Gannon, also resigned.

Clearly, Wright should not have lost his life. This is an unspeakable tragedy for so many reasons.

But violence against police officers, rioting and looting are not the answers, either. 

All of this, by the way, is occurring just miles away from where former police officer Derek Chauvin is standing trial for the death of George Floyd last spring.

Christine Caine, an Australian-born Bible teacher, wrote on social media, “Sometimes, we simply need to listen.”

Caine was reposting a message on social media from Hillsong’s Sam Collier, in which he wrote, in part, “We have a systemic problem with law enforcement and African Americans” in our country.

Collier also wrote the following: “I would also be remiss if I did not address my black brothers and sisters and my future kids. It grieves me to even have to say this: As my father told me. Please … don’t give any officer a reason to overreact. Don’t resist arrest, don’t stir the pot. Don’t agitate the situation. It will never end in our favor because the system is broken. Praying for a day in which this post isn’t needed. #JusticeforDaunteWright.”

See this tweet about the situation, in which a black man tries to discourage others, apparently Antifa members, from being violent against the police.

And see these other tweets as well during a time of unrest, upset, and anguish.

Share your thoughts on this story and other news stories on Christian News Journal’s Facebook page here.

For more news and stories of the day from Christian News Journal, click here.

—By CNJ Staff

You may also like

© 2023 Christian News Journal | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Developed by CI Design, LLC