Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: NBA
Luke Davies
The Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Golden State Warriors NBA game has been rescheduled for January 25 after the US Department of Homeland Security confirmed that a federal officer shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday (January 24).
Just after 3 pm GMT on January 24, a man was shot dead by federal agents in Minnesota's most populous city.
In a press conference, the Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that officers attended the scene where the shooting took place before finding a man with multiple gunshot wounds.
O’Hara then confirmed that the man had died and added that based on “very limited information”, the person is believed to be a 37-year-old US citizen who lived in the local Minneapolis area.
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Since then, the Associated Press news agency (AP) confirmed that the man was an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse named Alex Pretti.
Federal officials also said that the officer who delivered the fatal gunshot had served for Border Patrol for eight years.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin claimed that federal officers fired “defensive shots” in response to a man approaching them with a handgun who “violently resisted” when officials attempted to disarm him.
“Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots,” she said. “Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene.”
McLaughlin also suggested that the man had "two magazines and no ID".
Hundreds of protesters have taken to the city’s streets following the fatal incident. This comes after an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7, which also sparked widespread protests.
AP reports that the latest fatal shooting occurred just over one mile away from the location where Good was shot.
At 08:15 pm, the NBA confirmed that it had decided to reschedule the Warriors vs. Timberwolves, citing safety and security reasons.
A statement read: “The National Basketball Association game scheduled for today between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center has been postponed. The decision was made to prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community.
“The game has been rescheduled for tomorrow (Jan. 25) at 5:30 p.m. ET at Target Center.”
The Timberwolves also released a statement confirming the rescheduled fixture.
Following the shooting, tear gas was used against crowds gathered as a tactic to push protesters back. Later in the evening, crowds made a makeshift memorial near to the scene of the shooting.
US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance have both reacted to the shooting.
Vance accused local law enforcement of refusing to work with ICE in an X post.
He wrote: “What the ICE agents wanted more than anything was to work with local law enforcement so that situations on the ground didn't get out of hand.
“The local leadership in Minnesota has so far refused to answer those requests.”
While Trump took to Truth Social and posted a photograph of what he claimed was a loaded gun with the caption: “This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?”
Alex Pretti's father, Michael, has also spoken out following the killing of his son and said that Alex had become involved in the protests since Good was killed by ICE three weeks ago.
"He cared about people deeply, and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset,” he said.
"He felt that doing the protesting was a way to express that, you know, his care for others."
Michael went on to explain how he'd warned Alex of the dangers of protesting.
"We had this discussion with him two weeks ago or so, you know, that go ahead and protest, but do not engage, do not do anything stupid, basically," Michael added. "And he said he knows that. He knew that."