NBA Fan Breaks Moment of Silence for Alex Pretti with Short Chant
Before the Minnesota Timberwolves played the Golden State Warriors, there was a moment of silence to honor Alex Pretti, who was sadly shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, passed away on Saturday after being shot several times by a federal agent in the city.
Minnesota has been a center for protests against ICE agents. Witnesses say Pretti was sprayed with what seemed like pepper spray after he walked over to an agent who had pushed someone else down. When Pretti tried to help that person up, several agents reportedly wrestled him to the ground. Video shows this struggle before one agent fired and killed him.
Many politicians from both parties are calling for a quick investigation into what happened. While some officials have defended the agents, President Trump didn’t say if the agent acted properly but mentioned his team is reviewing the case. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti came ready to cause harm and attacked officers. Federal officials say he had a handgun and threatened officers.
However, videos shared by news outlets tell a different story. A former police trainer told ABC News there’s no clear proof Pretti meant to shoot anyone. Although a handgun was found on him, footage shows he might have been holding his phone when he approached the agents.
Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris’ running mate for 2024, took to Twitter expressing his frustration, saying Minnesota has had enough and demanding the President end this operation and remove the agents.
During the moment of silence at the game, some fans loudly chanted against ICE, showing their feelings about the situation.
The Warriors won 111-85, but their coach Steve Kerr called the night “one of the most bizarre, sad games” he’s experienced. He talked about the heavy mood in the arena and how difficult it was to watch, especially with everything going on in the city. Kerr mentioned how moments like these remind us that, compared to the bigger issues our country faces, a basketball game feels unimportant.