Incoming Target CEO Michael Fiddelke has broken his silence about recent violence in a message to employees on Monday, after a second fatal shooting in the corporation’s home base of Minneapolis over the weekend.
“We’ll have time to talk very soon about our plans to move Target forward, but right now, as someone who is raising a family here in the Twin Cities and as a leader of this hometown company, I want to acknowledge where we are,” Fiddelke said in the video, according to a transcript published by CNBC.
“The violence and loss of life in our community is incredibly painful,” he said. “I know it’s weighing heavily on many of you across the country, as it is with me.”
Fiddelke did not name Alex Pretti, who was killed by a Border Patrol officer on Saturday, or Renee Good, who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Jan. 7.
He also did not mention President Donald Trump, ICE, or policy changes at Target. The company has been the object of protests across Minnesota after immigration officials detained two Target employees, who are U.S. citizens, during their shift in Richfield.
Clergy members in Minnesota met with outgoing CEO Brian Cornell, urging the company to call for ICE to withdraw from the state and call on Congress to end funding for ICE, according to USA Today. They also demanded that Target take a stand against unreasonable search and seizure, and use its influence to ensure that the federal officer who killed Renee Good be prosecuted.
But there was no indication the company would agree to those specific measures in Monday’s message.
“We are doing everything we can to manage what’s in our control, always keeping the safety of our team and guests our top priority,” Fiddelke said.
He starts as CEO on Feb. 1 and currently serves as the company’s chief operating officer. In the video, he said he has been looking forward to starting the new role.
On Sunday, Fiddelke joined more than 60 CEOs in signing an open letter from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce that said businesses were working behind the scenes with government officials, including Gov. Tim Walz, the White House, Vice President JD Vance, and local mayors.
“With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and for state, local, and federal officials to work together to find real solutions,” the letter read.
Read the full transcript of Fiddelke’s video here:
Hi team.
In one week I will officially start as CEO.
We’re about to step into a new chapter for Target, and I’ve been looking forward to starting this work with you for some time, but this isn’t the first message I imagined I’d send.
We’ll have time to talk very soon about our plans to move Target forward, but right now, as someone who is raising a family here in the Twin Cities and as a leader of this hometown company, I want to acknowledge where we are.
The violence and loss of life in our community is incredibly painful.
I know it’s weighing heavily on many of you across the country, as it is with me.
What’s happening affects us not just as a company, but as people, as neighbors, friends, and family members within Target.
We are doing everything we can to manage what’s in our control, always keeping the safety of our team and guests our top priority.
During my more than 20 years at Target, one of the things I’ve loved is how we are part of the communities where we operate.
Since the beginning, we’ve given 5% of our profits and millions of volunteer hours to make them strong and vibrant places to live and work.
In line with that, I’ve been meeting with a range of leaders and this weekend added my signature to a statement using our collective voice to call for calm, constructive dialogue and de-escalation to reduce tension and keep people safe.
As that work continues, looking ahead to next week, I’ll spend my first days in the field listening and learning alongside our teams, and then we’ll come together for an all-team huddle to talk about how we’re moving our business forward.
Our leadership team is activated, HR is equipped, and our resources remain ready to give you the care and support you need.
Thank you for everything you do for each other, our guests, and our communities.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
