A professional basketball game set for Saturday afternoon between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors was delayed following a fatal shooting by a federal officer in Minneapolis.
The league announced that the matchup would be held the following day, Sunday afternoon, and confirmed that the two teams would meet again on Monday night as planned.
The decision to reschedule the game centered on ensuring the safety and security of the Minneapolis community, after 37-year-old Alex Pretti died during a confrontation with federal officers in a commercial district within two miles of the Target Center, the downtown venue where the Timberwolves host their games.
As tensions escalated with a gathering of protesters at the shooting location, the Minnesota National Guard joined local law enforcement to maintain public order.
Nearby, the Minnesota Twins’ annual winter fan festival, held at Target Field just across the street from the Target Center, was cut short by an hour to facilitate the expedited exit of attendees in response to the unfolding events.
On the previous day, a large protest marched through downtown Minneapolis despite subzero temperatures, voicing opposition to the federal law enforcement presence and tactics. The increased deployment of approximately 3,000 federal agents to the Twin Cities area is part of a broader immigration enforcement initiative under the Trump administration.
This incident follows a similar fatal encounter two weeks ago involving Renee Good, aged 37, who was shot while attempting to drive away from officers after an interaction. The Timberwolves honored Good with a moment of silence prior to their game the night after her death.
It is important to clarify that although initial reports mentioned ICE involvement, the officer who fatally shot Pretti was a member of the Border Patrol rather than the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.