Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke out on the latest fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis after the rising political tension in the city forced his team’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves to be postponed.
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot and killed after a struggle with federal agents on Saturday after he allegedly confronted officers during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation in Minneapolis.
His death came just two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Good was fatally shot in her car by an Immigration and Customs (ICE) officer.
Amid the growing unrest, which has been building in Minnesota after ICE agents moved in on the orders of the Trump administration, the state’s NBA franchise, the Timberwolves, postponed their clash against the Warriors.
The game had originally been scheduled to take place on Saturday at Target Center. The teams ultimately took to the court 24 hours later in a somber matchup.
Kerr addressed the political climate following his team’s 111-85 victory as he appeared to blame the media for the divides in the nation.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke out on the latest fatal ICE shooting
Alex Jeffrey Pretti was gunned down during a struggle with federal agents in Minneapolis
‘My concern as an American, we’re not perfect,’ he said when asked about a ‘path forward’ in the US.
‘We’ve never been perfect. But I think our ideals have been in the right place for a long time, our values. And I think no matter what side of the aisle you stand on, I think remembering the values that come with the constitution, that come with citizenship, the values of looking after each other are so important right now, just because of the extremism that we can feel from all over the place. People are so angry.
‘There should be an appeal to our better angels to look after one another and to recognize what’s happening. We’re being divided by media for profit, by misinformation. There’s so much out there that is really difficult for all of us to reconcile. In times like these, you have to lean on values and who you are and who you want to be — either as an individual or as a country. And I think that’s the biggest thing.
‘And that’s what’s so sad about all of this. It’s like we’re at each other’s throats right now. And you can’t just say, ‘I’m right, the other person’s wrong.’ Not within this current climate of nonstop news flooding at us. ‘News.’ It’s hard to decipher what’s real and what’s not. What’s true and what’s not true. People arguing over the exact same video, saying, ‘This happened. No that happened.’ It is a confusing time to be alive and to be an American. So, what I would appeal to everyone is to remember what our constitution stands for, what our values are, and what that means to how we treat each other and our fellow citizens.’
Kerr has long been an outspoken critic of Trump and he delivered a brutal speech in support of Kamala Harris at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
The coach, who said the game was one of the ‘most bizarre and sad’ that he had been a part of, hailed the people of Minneapolis amid the current tension.
‘I’ve been following everything. It’s very sad,’ Kerr said. ‘This has always been a great stop on the NBA tour. I love the city of Minneapolis. The people here are wonderful and it’s very sad what’s happening. I feel for the city. There’s a pall that’s been cast over the city. You can feel it. A lot of people are suffering.
‘Obviously, loss of life is the No. 1 concern. Those families will never get their family members back. When all the unrest settles down, whenever that is, those family members won’t be returning home and that’s devastating.’
The Warriors’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves was originally postponed
Kerr greets Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch (right) after Sunday’s game
Fans hold signs to protest the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis during the game
Kerr also said that he had discussed the postponement of the game in depth with Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch and that he supported the decision.
‘General feeling is just one of sadness for Minneapolis, for the city. It had been through a lot,’ Kerr continued. ‘We empathize with the citizens here, with the Wolves franchise and their fans. It’s a wonderful place. As I’ve said, I’ve always felt a great vibe here. The expression ‘Minnesota nice’ is a real thing. People here really, really care about each other. Take care of their neighbors and go out of their way to help one another.
‘It’s a beautiful city and it’s just tough to see everybody really going through a lot of angst and anger and sadness and grief.’
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Pretti was shot after he ‘approached’ Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that officers ‘clearly feared for their lives’ and fired defensive shots at Pretti after he ‘violently’ resisted federal agents.
Federal authorities claimed the intensive care unit nurse was carrying a loaded Sig Sauer P320 9mm pistol, but video captured at the scene appears to show officers disarming him before shots rang out.
Minneapolis police say Pretti had no serious criminal history and was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit, while his family eviscerated the Trump administration in a blistering statement.
‘The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,’ they said.
Video shows agents wrestling with Pretti and taking him to the ground before he was shot
‘Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed.
‘Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.’
On Sunday, the NBPA released a statement urging Americans not to let ‘the flames of division’ threaten their ‘civil liberties.’
‘Following the news of yet another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, a city that has been on the forefront of the fight against injustices, NBA players can no longer remain silent,’ it read.
‘Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.
‘The fraternity of NBA players, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all.’
