Candlelight vigil draws hundreds in Tri-Cities to condemn federal agent violence

Hundreds gathered in Richland to honor an ICU nurse killed by federal agents in Minnesota on Saturday.

Indivisible Tri-Cities hosted the candlelight vigil Tuesday at John Dam Plaza honoring Alex Pretti, as well as Renee Nicole Good. Both were recently shot and killed by federal agents involved in federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.

Pretti was a registered nurse at a Department of Veteran Affairs hospital, and Good was a poet and mother of three.

“As people, we can hold grief and determination at the same time,” said Loren Malone, founder of Indivisible Tri-Cities.

It was the latest in a series of Tri-Cities demonstrations and protests.

Protestors on Tuesday lined George Washington Way from Swift Boulevard down to Lee Boulevard.

The event was intended to be a nonpartisan, community-focused vigil centered on compassion, safety and solidarity.

Here’s what some of the participants had to say:

Jim Huckaby of West Richland: “There’s no accountability for the ICE agent with the killing in Minnesota. There’s no accountability. Not one of them has faced any charges. Where’s the justice in that? What is wrong with these animals? You see them just piled on top of each other, blowing pepper spray in their faces, shooting and killing people for taking pictures, for honking at ICE. It’s just a matter of time; if we don’t stop it, it will happen here. It will reach everywhere eventually if we don’t stop it.”

Ashley Nussman of Richland: “I want to teach them that we want to be on the right side of history. My husband is Jewish, and I’m Black, so we definitely want to stop what’s happened in the past from happening again, and it feels like that’s the direction we are going. I’m worried that’s what’s happening. They could come here – really, it’s already here – really, it’s already happening.”

Angela Cora of Richland: “I just want to be connected with other people. I think that we are all in a moment that is requiring us to find each other’s humanity. It’s not in the extreme here yet like what’s happening in other places, but it will come here. They are already here.”

Bernice Moseman of Richland: “I never in my entire life would have imagined that we would be in a place like this. I’m scared to death. Just because it’s Minnesota today doesn’t mean it won’t be us tomorrow. I’m scared for our entire country right now. We have got to get back to where we need to be. This is not America anymore. I’m proud of Washington and our governor that we are preparing if we are next – I want us to be ready.... I’m terrified. I’m terrified that my friends and family could get shot. That shouldn’t be happening in the United States. If their moral compass and their eyes haven’t changed their minds, nothing I say is going to. Our government is telling us that we aren’t seeing what we all know we are seeing. ... I don’t know how you fight that. I guess one day – one rally at a time. ...”

Kate Loper of Richland: “Seeing the shooting, the killing this week that’s been playing on television is horrifying. I can’t just sit at home anymore. I’ve got to come out and do what little I can. If the group gets big enough, people will notice, I hope. Maybe they haven’t been paying attention to what’s going on, but things have got to change. ICE gets more out of going to big cities and messing with them right now, I guess. That they haven’t come here yet surprises me, but you know they will, you know they will. When I go out or eat at a restaurant or go to the store, and I see someone of color and I wonder how they must be feeling with all of this, how scared they must be knowing that this is happening. And just because it’s not here yet, it will be. They must be so scared.”

Lorena Perez of Pasco: “Seeing my government executing people in broad daylight for exercising their rights. It’s terrible. I can’t just stay home and not do anything when there are others that are being brave and standing up. I’m worried it will come here. Look at Minnesota, I’m sure they weren’t expecting that to happen to them. Minnesota is just a testing ground. Any city, any state, we could be next. So, I think it’s a good idea that we all organize and stand together with each other as a community, as a country. People are starting to listen. You hear all of the horns honking driving by? People just can’t stand it. They are angry about what is happening by our government, and our elected officials need to be doing something to change it – to stop it – to stop what ICE is doing.”

-Freelance photographer Scott Hunt contributed to this report.