Pastor’s Violence Prevention Nonprofit Could Receive $1M From Minnesota Senate—Even After Shootout And Threats

Will Rev. Jerry McAfee get his money? Stay tuned.

Rev. Jerry McAfee is in line to receive $1 million in funding from a bill for his violence prevention nonprofit despite a recent bout of controversy.

The president of the Minnesota Senate has introduced a bill proposing $1 million in funding for McAfee’s nonprofit, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports. A bill introduced by State Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, would allocate a $1 million grant to McAfee’s 21 Days of Peace in 2026-2027 for “social equity building and community engagement activities.”

The funding comes despite the pastor having a $650,000 city contract revoked after his comments to Minneapolis City Council members during a committee meeting in February.

McAfee, pastor of New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, gained attention after interrupting a City Council committee meeting on the oversight of violence prevention contracts with a five-minute rant. Some council members perceived his remarks as threatening and homophobic.

A few weeks later, council members opposed the city’s Neighborhood Safety Department recommendation to award a nearly $650,000 one-year contract to Salem, Inc., another nonprofit run by McAfee, for violence interruption efforts. The contract was placed under “review” just hours after two of McAfee’s violence interrupter workers were charged in connection with a North Minneapolis shootout.

McAfee has led nonprofits engaged in violence prevention efforts in Minneapolis for decades. According to city records, his church and two nonprofits have secured approximately a dozen violence prevention contracts totaling $1.6 million in recent years. In 2023, 21 Days of Peace received $3 million in state funding for violence prevention initiatives.

While testifying for the bill on April 2, McAfee highlighted recent reports showing that shootings in North Minneapolis have reached a decade-low. Last year, the North Side saw a 21% decrease in gunshot victims compared to the previous year, along with a significant drop in ShotSpotter activations and reports of automatic gunfire.

Regarding the shootout involving his workers, McAfee defended his staff member, Kashmir Khaliffa McReynolds, after McReynolds and a colleague were shot in the neck, back, and shoulder. McAfee said McReynolds had just finished his shift when 30 shots were fired, prompting him to retrieve his gun from his car and return fire. The pastor says the incident highlights the dangers of the job—especially since violence interrupters are not permitted to carry weapons.