An Answer to Why Pastor Ricky Floyd Was Killed

Image Courtesy of Memphis Flyer

Let’s provide an answer, minus conjecture, rumor and suspicion with respect to why Pastor Ricky Floyd was killed. This should be addressed because an entire community wants an answer.

As is obvious, this article is written (and posted) shortly after pastor’s death, a trial has not occurred so how could I possibly have answers?

However, followers of Jesus, at least those who study the Bible, understand that answers are actually plentiful.

Floyd was shot to death by a woman outside a bar and this brings to light several issues within the faith community. It is crucial to discuss the “why,” but a brief overview of the incident is essential for context.

Pastor Ricky Floyd was a beloved community leader and the church leader at Pursuit of God Church in Frayser, Memphis, Tennessee, and known for his love of young people and outeach while standing against community violence.

On 12 March 2025, Brother Pastor was fatally shot outside Momma’s Bar and Grill in Downtown Memphis following an argument with 42-year-old Samantha Marion, said to be a stranger to him, who has been charged with voluntary manslaughter.

Video evidence and witness accounts seems to reveal a heated altercation that escalated when Floyd threw Marion’s phone and a beer can, after which Marion allegedly shot him in the roadway, claiming self-defense, though prosecutors argued she retrieved a gun from her car despite having the chance to leave.

A few things the Saints of God must understand: First, as a Black pastor, I am not part of their “good ole boy” cover-up network. I was born to call rotten church leaders back to Christ and plead with those who, although leading a church, still have yet to be saved by Jesus.

Next, it is unfair for Black folk to ask why a pastor was at a bar in the middle of the night without realizing the establishment had a “kitchen” (grill) that cooked food. Most who read this, and are saved, have been to places like Applebee’s, Carlos O’Kelly’s, and other combination bar/restaurants.

These are no different in basic business model than the place where pastor was. Just last evening, and as a church leader, I stopped by a cigarette and liquor store because it was the only place open in my area to buy a case of water.

Now, do I believe this was a simple altercation that just “happened” to occur when this preacher went to pick up some food that late at night? No, there is much more to this that will come out during trial.

Neither do I believe these two did not know one another because the local news, which are admittedly friendly to Pastor, immediately said, “these two did not know one another.”

I am not alleging anything inappropriate, full stop.

In the first part of the below video—keeping in mind there is another to come showing Pastor backing away from with his hands up—Brother stopped his vehicle (when he could have kept driving), jumped out aggressively, and charged toward this woman who told him three times to “back up”!

Here is that video:

Video of Pastor Ricky Floyd

Let me be clear: I am not suggesting that our dear brother deserved to be murdered! My own little brother was stabbed to death (one neck wound to the jugular vein) in 2013 by a woman he aggressively ran up on.

Yet, something that most miss is the logical, seemingly intentional manner in which the shooter gave him orders. Perhaps she was just level headed but my guess is not, so what was this all about?

Another shady issue is why would pastor stop and charge towards this women who was filiming him as he drove away?

In all situations, we preachers must comport ourselves in a way that is both Holy Ghost-led and not so reckless, especially with a generation that, unlike the former, doesn’t view killing God’s messengers any differently (Matt. 5:15, Rom. 12:17).

Prior to going forward, and just so we are clear, I am not one of those “Jesus told us to turn the other cheek” Christians who have totally emasculated our Savior (Matt. 5:39).

More plainly, the Bible never prohibits believers from carrying or using weapons in self-defense. Factually, Jesus commanded His disciples to “sell their clothes and buy swords” (Luke 22:36-38).

Today, those swords would be guns!

Why do you think Peter had a sword in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His arrest?

Furthermore, Jesus never objected to Peter’s use of the sword but rather to “when” he used it, saying (after ordering them to buy swords earlier), “Put away your sword, for those who live by the sword will die by it" (Matt. 26:52).

If your pastor is teaching “turn the other cheek” all the time, when even Jesus didn’t do so, get away from them because they are cowards and teaching you to be the same. In black community speak, Jesus "went off" on people, called them names, and even ran up on others to destroyed their hustle" (Matt. 23:23-30, John 8:44).

Black men who read this, that soft and weak Jesus presented by ignorant negro preachers is a lie from the pit of hell!

Jesus was/is a "man's, man!" As we would say back in my day, He is THAT dude.

With respect to Pastor Floyd, witnesses reported he argued with the woman and a male friend over faith based matters.

I get that Believers, epecially those of us who hit the streets to preach, are desperate for lost people to experience the saving grace of Jesus Christ (John 3:15-17, Rom. 10:13).

Yet, no matter how desperate one is, arguing is neither showing fruits of the spirit nor allowing them what God provides; free will choice (Gal. 5:22-23, Rev. 3:20).

Here is what Jesus and His apostles had to say on whether we should force information on non-believers (but not limited to):

1. “And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town” (Matt. 10:14). Note: Jesus’s Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, as well as another follower, Barnabas, literally did this in a place called Iconium that rejected the message (Acts 13:51).

   
   

2. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matt. 7:6).

   
   

3. “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness” (2 Tim. 2:24-25). In transparency, early in the ministry God assigned to my hands, I did the same as Pastor with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Black Muslims, and idiotic Black church leaders and members as well.

However, my pastor told me something I’ll never forget in rebuke: “Brother, you cannot do the work of the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 1:18).

When I worked in corporate executive management, we used to say, “You cannot want more for an employee than they want for themselves.” However, in the Kingdom of God, when one tastes and sees the goodness of the Lord, you cannot help but want more for others (Psalm 34:8, Psalm 145:9).

This is where many of us, and allegedly Floyd, get into trouble.

Although a current pastor, I have spent twenty-five years on street corners from Kansas to Colorado to Iowa and many other places preaching Jesus.

Very few have not seen weirdos on the street holding a sign proclaiming a faith-based message, right? I am that guy.

Experience with this ministry has shown me three (3) things, above all others, that are critical when dealing with the lost in public places.

First, if one is consistently preaching in the same public place, a “swatting” call will be made to law enforcement.

Swatting refers to prank or malicious phone calls made to emergency services, typically 911, in which the caller falsely reports a serious crime to disrupt the message of God by the disciples of Satan.

Police have swarmed onto my preaching locations from Kansas, to Colorado, and now In Iowa having been told I was a terrorist, threatening, and other nonsense.

Second, people who claim no affiliation with Jesus Christ are much more honest about their spiritual condition than church folk. More plainly, lost people know how wretched they are, while church folk—especially those who attend yet have not been truly saved—have no clue (Rev. 3:17).

Third, once it is clear the message is being rejected and a hostile, demonic spirit is present, it is time to politely end the interaction, back away, and continue preaching Jesus to others (Matt. 10:14).

On the television series Star Trek, there is a golden rule that no captain—whether Kirk, Picard, Janeway, or even Spock—is allowed to violate: the Prime Directive.

This rule prohibits interference with the internal development, culture, or natural progression of alien civilizations, particularly those that are pre-warp (i.e., not yet capable of interstellar travel).

Both in street preaching and church leadership, there is a biblical doctrinal imperative (our Prime Directive) that prohibits us from doing what the Lord God refuses to do: violate someone’s free will to destroy themselves by rejecting Him and ending up in Hell and the Lake of Fire (Matt. 7:13-14, Rev. 21:8).

In transparency, where church leaders are concerned, this is most sorrowful and I have written often about the difficulties of confronting Black pastors on their evil.

The gospel has no more entrenched opposition to the very freedom Jesus teaches than church leaders. After all, wasn't it religious leaders (sin) which had Jesus killed (Matt. 27:1-26)?

In the most literal spiritual sense, they do not release sheep into the kingdom; preachers keep them burdened down in spiritual slavery (Matt. 23:4, 1 Pet. 5:3).

For those who doubt the truth of this, please download my ebook to any device (pdf file) titled Black Church Chronicles, Vol. I: The Hireling here.

You can download the file to any mobile device, desktop, or laptop.

As hard as it is to hear, with respect to our dearly departed brother Ricky Floyd, even at this hour, God is still in control (Rom. 8:28). Unlike the false messages of fake hope, you will hear in the coming days, weeks, and months, Black preachers must refrain from being so reckless (1 Tim. 3:1-7).

Beyond times when we have all “snapped” and lost our religion, the Negro preacher is among the most arrogant people—while pretending to be humble—that one will ever meet.

How do I know this?

Besides being among them for the last few decades and pastoring for some years now, I have confronted their wickedness face-to-face, and it is in their responses to such biblical rebuke that the truth of this statement is proven.

For example, here in Waterloo, Iowa, there is a pastor named Willie D. Campbell of Cathedral of Faith. Although it isn’t necessary to get into the weeds of why I demanded a Matthew 18:15-17 meeting with him, what occurred in that meeting matters.

Campbell, having been caught in a lie and admitting it only after an hour, refused to admit lying was wrong (Matt. 7:21-23, Titus 1:16).

As they do, he claimed God was in the middle of his lying, had a purpose, and I—being less of a man of God—had no business questioning his actions at the church I lead.

Read that again.

The point of this article—Pastor Ricky Floyd and, frankly, the rest of us—is that the Bible tells us, “Pride comes before the fall and a haughty spirit before destruction" (Prov. 16:18).

Even when they are wrong, rare is the pastor who will first accept it and, even rarer, openly admit it (Jam. 5:16). In my many meetings with these men, I discovered they do not believe in the “obedience” to the Lord they require of others (Matt. 23:3, Rom. 2:21-23).

As I close, there is never a moment when we should attempt to force our beliefs on others, even though we know they are headed to Hell and Lake of Fire. I hate that this happened to one of the Lord’s true warriors (by all accounts).

Pastor Floyd is dead because he got caught up in a moment of godlessness with godless people. The reality is, however, this could happen to any of us in an unguarded moment.

Nevertheless, the judgment of the Lord is not exclusive to the lost, and in this case, it cost the life of one of His servants.

When I realize there was a time, many years back, that I did the same yet survived these dangers (seen and unseen), I am even more amazed by the Lord’s grace.

Merciful Jesus.