Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: NBA, Basketball, United States, Donald Trump
Ryan Smart
Several NBA fans interrupted the moment of silence for Alex Pretti, who was shot dead by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, ahead of Minnesota Timberwolves versus Golden State Warriors.
Pretti, a 37-year-old NCU nurse, was pronounced dead on Saturday afternoon after being shot multiple times by a federal agent in Minnesota's largest city.
The US state has been the epicentre of significant protests against the presence of Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents.
According to witnesses, Pretti was sprayed with a chemical irritant, described as pepper spray, after he had walked towards an ICE agent who had pushed another bystander to the ground.
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It is claimed that, after Pretti had attempted to help a bystander to their feet, several agents then got physical and wrestled him to the ground.
Video footage shows Pretti being wrestled to the ground by the group of agents, before one opened fire on him and killed him.
Both Democrats and Republicans have called for an urgent investigation into the fatal shooting.
Despite members of the Trump administration attempting to defend the ICE agents' actions, President Trump refused to state whether the offending agent had 'done the right thing' in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Sunday.
He confirmed that his team are 'reviewing everything' in relation to Pretti's death.
DHS secretary Kristi Noem is claiming that Pretti 'arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement', while federal officials say he 'approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun' and 'attacked' them.
But videos verified by various US news outlets appear to contradict at least some of the federal officials' version of events, with former police trainer John Cohen telling ABC News that there is 'nothing in the video evidence that we've seen' to suggest that Pretti 'arrived at that location with the intent to shoot those border patrol officers'.
While a handgun was retrieved from Pretti's waistband prior to him being shot dead, it is claimed, videos show that he was holding his phone while approaching federal agents.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris' running vice-president for the 2024 presidential election, wrote on Twitter: "I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening.
"The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now."
A moment of silence was held for Pretti ahead of the NBA Western Conference game between Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors.
Seconds after the silence got underway, a number of fans could clearly be heard chanting 'F**k ICE' in unison.
Golden State Warriors won 111-85, with their coach Steve Kerr calling it 'one of the most bizarre, sad games' given the circumstances.
"It was one of the most bizarre, sad games I've ever been a part of," Kerr told reporters. "You could feel the sombre atmosphere.
"Their group was suffering. I thought the vibe in the stands, it was very sad.
"We could tell they were struggling with everything that's been going on and, you know, what the city has been through.
"A night like tonight you feel the perspective of everything and the relative insignificance of a game, knowing where our country is right now."