Chicago Pastor Speaks Out After Being Shot by ICE in the Head and Body with Pepper Balls

A Chicago pastor has spoken out after being brutally shot in the head and body with pepper balls by federal immigration enforcement officers while praying outside a detention facility.

The incident, which Rev David Black describes as an act of 'spiritual warfare' met with physical violence, has ignited a firestorm regarding the use of crowd-control munitions against clergy and peaceful demonstrators.

A Faithful Stand Met with Violence

Rev Black of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago recounted in an interview how he was hit in the head, torso, arms, and legs with pepper balls. According to the clergyman, at least two pepper balls struck his head. He added that as he collapsed, he could hear Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents 'laughing as they were shooting us from the roof'.

The minister said he had joined the protest on 19 September 2025 simply to bear witness — to pray for detainees and to appeal spiritually to the agents. Describing the detention centre as, in his words, 'an incarnate instance of the gates of hell in Chicagoland,' he felt compelled to stand in solidarity with immigrants he believed were being persecuted.

As he approached the facility with hands outstretched, offering a message of repentance and compassion, the situation turned violent in an instant.

Video footage of the incident, shared widely on social media, confirms that an agent fired pepper balls from the roof.

'I was standing to the side in a gesture of prayer and praying verbally for the ICE officers and those detained inside,' Black stated, firmly rejecting claims by law‑enforcement officials that he had obstructed operations or engaged in provocative behaviour.

The Aftermath: Outrage, Legal Action, and Questions

The immediate aftermath was chaotic. Fellow protesters rushed to support Black, while medic volunteers washed chemical irritants from his eyes and tried to help him regain composure.

In the days that followed, outrage spread. Civil‑liberties groups joined Black in filing a lawsuit against the federal government, accusing it of violating the First and Fourth Amendments by using excessive force against peaceful clergy, journalists, and demonstrators.

In response to the suit, a federal judge is expected to issue a temporary restraining order that bars agents in the Northern District of Illinois—including ICE and Customs and Border Protection — from using various crowd‑control weapons and chemical irritants against protesters and journalists, unless there is a credible threat. The order also prohibits forceful tactics, such as body slamming or indiscriminate shoving.

Legal experts have weighed in, condemning the agents' conduct as a clear departure from established use‑of‑force standards.

A Pastor's Message: Forgiveness and Accountability

Despite the violence and his own injuries, Black emphasised that his motivation was spiritual and rooted in compassion. 'As a Christian and as a minister of the grace and mercy of God ... I forgive these ICE officers,' he told reporters, while also demanding accountability.

He questioned the intention behind the shooting — especially given the dangers of firing pepper‑balls at heads. 'The manufacturer of pepper balls says... that shots aimed at heads, necks, spines, and other sensitive areas could be deadly. So I wonder about the training of these ICE agents — and I wonder about their intentions,' he said during a WGN News appearance.

Beyond his personal trauma, Black warned of the broader consequences of such tactics — raising serious concerns about how immigrants, detainees, and other vulnerable people might be treated behind the closed doors of detention facilities.

The shocking incident involving Rev Black has ignited a broader debate about the role and reach of federal enforcement agencies — especially when their actions collide with faith, protest, and civil rights.