The Mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, is facing a firestorm of criticism after a controversial comment made during a press conference went viral, attracting the ire of a grieving Parkland father.
During a public address, Mayor Frey stated, "We have to make sure that we are following and abiding by the law, and we also have to make sure that we are following and abiding by our God." The remark was made in the context of discussing city policy and policing.
The comment was swiftly condemned by Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was murdered in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. Guttenberg, a prominent gun safety advocate, took to social media to express his outrage.
"Dear Mayor Frey, My daughter was murdered in the Parkland shooting. She was shot 3 times and the medical examiner told me that the fatal shot was to the back meaning that she was shot running away. She was murdered by a person who felt that God was on his side. Do not ever speak for God," Guttenberg wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The powerful rebuke highlights the deep sensitivity surrounding religious rhetoric used by public officials, particularly in the United States where gun violence remains a divisive and painful issue.
The incident also drew commentary from Ohio Senator JD Vance, a close ally of Donald Trump, who criticised the media's focus on Frey's comment while defending the mayor's intent. This has further politicised the episode, placing the Democratic mayor at the centre of a national debate on faith, politics, and trauma.
As of now, Mayor Frey's office has not issued a public response to Guttenberg's emotional condemnation.
