NEWS PROVIDED BY
Anglican Watch
Jan. 24, 2026
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 24, 2026 /Standard Newswire/ — Anglican Watch, the unofficial watchdog group of the Episcopal Church, today denounced the killing of Alex Pretti by federal government officials and called upon Episcopal Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe to immediately condemn U.S. government violence and human rights violations against civilians and humans.
“One of our team members is a former police officer. He and other experts have reviewed the video footage and stated that it is undeniable that Mr. Pretti did not threaten federal officials,” states Anglican Watch official Mark Lowen.
“Moreover, it is clear that federal officials had custody of Mr. Pretti’s weapon and control of his arms prior to the decision to shoot him. Nor is there any lawful reason to shoot Mr. Pretti at least eight times. This is a grave human rights violation and inconsistent with basic notions of Christian conduct.
“Additionally, federal officials are clearly heard in the video saying that they had his weapon prior to shooting him,” Lowen continues.
“We categorically denounce this killing, as well as the violence that federal officials are directing toward innocent civilians. And we demand that Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and all bishops in the Episcopal Church immediately denounce government violence.
“The Episcopal Church must act to address these egregious human rights abuses. The time to act is now. We cannot be so afraid of the federal government that we are unwilling to oppose evil and corruption. The Episcopal Church must not sit silent,” Lowen concludes.
Anglican Watch is the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church. Founded in 2015, the organization addresses sexual and non-sexual abuse in the Episcopal Church and other faith communities.
SOURCE Anglican Watch
CONTACT: Mark Lowen, 240-331-6977, editor@anglicanwatch.com