Christians in Seattle are grieving after the tragic and untimely death of 28-year-old Lebron Givaun, who was shot and killed outside of Pursuit Church next to his wife and child in what the church’s pastor described as an “assassination,” leading Pursuit to offer a $50,000 award for any information leading to the arrest of a suspect in the case.
For background, on August 1, 2025, Lebron Givaun, a 28-year-old attendee of Pursuit Church in Seattle, was shot and killed outside of the church’s campus, with surveillance footage showing a gunman leaving a white vehicle and firing multiple shots before returning to his car, which was later found in flames. In response to the tragedy, Pastor Russell Johnson said that the incident should “shock the conscience” of his city.
During a church service on August 3, 2025, Pastor Johnson responded to Givaun’s death by telling the congregation, “An unthinkable act of violence shattered the sanctity of our church,” adding “At approximately 7:10 pm as students were arriving for service, a car rolled down the street and came to a stop right in front of the church. And what happened next is what nightmares are made of.”
Moreover, Johnson said that the shooting was “an unbelievable tragedy for our community,” going on to describe it as a “brazen, broad daylight assassination on church property.” He continued, “It’s the worst day in public ministry I’ve ever had.” Pastor Johnson added, “Even criminals have a code of honor. You don’t shoot a man in broad daylight while he is at a house of worship, while he is with his wife and kid.”
Continuing, Pastor Johnson told the congregation that it was a “miracle” that more lives were not lost “with the crowd of people who had gathered and the amount of bullets that were fired.” He went on, “And I hope to God that I never have to read a statement like this again.” He later said, “76% of homicides in Seattle go unsolved. We are praying today that justice will come quickly.”
Furthermore, Johnson made it clear to his congregation that the “thugs” who were responsible for Givaun’s death were trying to send a message: no church is safe, no house of worship is safe.” He added, “And the enemy would love for us to back down and hide, but that is simply not who we are.”
A spokesperson for Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell responded to the tragedy by saying, “This senseless act of gun violence near a place of worship is tragic and heartbreaking for our city, and our deepest sympathies are with the family and loved ones of the victim.” They continued, “The Seattle Police Department is diligently investigating this incident to hold the perpetrator responsible and deliver justice.” Furthermore, Fox 13 Seattle reported that the church is offering a $50,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest.
Watch Pastor Johnson’s reaction to the shooting:
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