Kerr: ‘One of the most bizarre, sad games’ as Minneapolis mourns after agent shooting
Lead: On Jan. 25, 2026, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-85 in Minneapolis amid a somber atmosphere following the killing of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti the day before. The Timberwolves delayed the game by a day and opened with a moment of silence for Pretti; fans voiced anger toward federal immigration agents outside and inside the Target Center. Minnesota committed 25 turnovers and recorded its lowest point total in more than four years, while Stephen Curry led Golden State with 26 points. Coach Steve Kerr said the crowd and players carried a palpable grief that made the contest feel unusually mournful rather than celebratory.
Key Takeaways
- The game was played Jan. 25, 2026, after a one-day postponement following the killing of Alex Pretti, 37, in Minneapolis the previous day.
- Golden State beat Minnesota 111-85; Stephen Curry scored 26 points and the Timberwolves turned the ball over 25 times.
- A pregame moment of silence for Pretti was followed by audible chants against Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the crowd and in-arena performers displayed “ICE Out” slogans.
- Video circulating online shows Pretti holding a phone before being taken down and shot; reports note he was licensed to carry a handgun, and the footage has prompted questions about the Department of Homeland Security’s initial account.
- Coach Steve Kerr publicly supported the decision to postpone and described the game atmosphere as “bizarre” and “sad,” saying the city bore a heavy pall.
Background
Minneapolis has been a flashpoint since federal immigration agents were deployed there by the administration to assist local enforcement. The arrival of Border Patrol and ICE personnel followed protests earlier in January after the January 7 killing of Renee Good; those demonstrations drew thousands downtown. On Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by federal agents in a confrontation that quickly drew public attention and renewed protests.
Authorities initially stated that Pretti “approached” Border Patrol officers with a gun; in the days that followed, bystander video posted online appears to show him holding a phone moments before he was taken down and shot, and appears to show agents unholstering a firearm. Pretti was licensed to carry a handgun, and the discrepancy between early official language and later footage has sparked calls for a transparent investigation. The incidents have intensified debate over the use of federal agents in civil unrest and raised concerns about crowd safety and policing near major public events.
Main Event
The Timberwolves and arena staff elected to postpone the original schedule by one day; game officials and team leaders met in the hours before tip to assess safety and community sentiment. When play began on Jan. 25, the team held a public moment of silence for Pretti; the Target Center public-address announcer expressed the franchise’s condolences and support for the family and community. During that observance, some fans loudly chanted expletives directed at ICE, reflecting wider anger at the federal presence in the city.
Chants of “ICE out” recurred during the second quarter and were visible in other arena moments: members of the Timberwolves’ dunk team performed in “ICE Out” T-shirts during an intermission, and social-media clips captured the crowd’s sustained vocal reaction. On the court, Minnesota struggled to contain Golden State, committing 25 turnovers and producing its fewest points in an NBA game in more than four years. The Warriors capitalized on those miscues, with Curry scoring 26 points in a game that otherwise carried a heavy emotional tone.
After the final horn, Warriors coach Steve Kerr, speaking to reporters, said he had discussed the postponement with Wolves officials and agreed with their decision. Kerr described the overall mood as somber and said he sensed suffering among fans and players alike; he added that loss of life was the overriding concern and that families affected would never be made whole by a game or statement. The Associated Press contributed to account details, and local journalists circulated bystander footage that has further complicated the official narrative of the shooting.
Analysis & Implications
The carryover of civic trauma into a major sporting event highlights how communal grief and political protest can reshape ordinarily routine public gatherings. Games often serve as temporary respites from stress, but when a community is actively protesting and grieving, arenas become venues for public expression rather than only recreation. That dynamic can alter the perceived role of teams, stadiums and leagues as neutral spaces.
For the Timberwolves, the event had immediate on-court consequences: distraction and emotion likely contributed to 25 turnovers and the franchise’s lowest team scoring output in years. Beyond this single game, teams and the NBA face practical choices about scheduling, security and communications when local crises coincide with league travel. The league’s response—statements, postponements, or coordinated support services—will shape public perception of its sensitivity to community trauma.
Politically, the shooting and the high-profile visibility of protests during a national broadcast can pressure local and federal officials to expedite investigations and clarify rules of engagement for federal agents operating in cities. The discrepancy between initial DHS phrasing and publicly available video increases the demand for independent review, potentially affecting policy debates over ICE and Border Patrol deployments in domestic settings.
Comparison & Data
| Team | Points | Turnovers | Leading Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | 111 | — | Stephen Curry (26) |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 85 | 25 | — |
The numbers underscore both on-court performance and the game’s unusual context. Minnesota’s 85 points were its lowest output in over four years, while 25 turnovers signaled a breakdown in execution that can stem from emotional distraction. For perspective, NBA teams average roughly 12–15 turnovers per game in typical play; a 25-turnover performance is an outlier and often correlates with a lopsided result. The statistical gap between the clubs on Jan. 25 amplified an atmosphere already dominated by civic trauma rather than competition.
Reactions & Quotes
Before the moment of silence, the Timberwolves’ arena announcer addressed the crowd to acknowledge the city’s loss and extend sympathy to Pretti’s family. That statement prefaced audible and visible protests from fans who chanted against ICE during the observance.
“Target Center, we are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Alex Pretti that occurred yesterday in Minneapolis. We extend our love, support and heartfelt sympathies to Alex’s family, friends and our community during this difficult time.”
Minnesota Timberwolves public-address announcement
Coach Kerr later described the evening and the city’s mood in terse, empathetic terms, noting that the game’s result felt secondary to the community’s suffering.
“I thought the vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I’ve ever been a part of.”
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors head coach
Local reporters and social-media posts amplified bystanders’ footage and on-site chants; those clips have become central pieces in public discussion about the shooting and the agents’ conduct. Journalists on the ground noted both the intensity of the protest and the subdued demeanor of players who appeared affected by events off the court.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Alex Pretti “approached” officers with a firearm, as stated initially by some authorities, remains disputed based on publicly circulated footage and requires formal investigative clarification.
- The exact sequence of events that led agents to unholster a weapon and fire has not been fully verified in an independent, comprehensive public report.
Bottom Line
The Jan. 25 game in Minneapolis was shaped as much by civic grief and protest as by basketball: a community mourning a recent death and confronting the presence of federal agents made the arena a focal point for public sentiment. The Timberwolves’ postponement and the visible tributes and chants made clear that sporting schedules can intersect with urgent civic issues, forcing teams and leagues to weigh public-safety and moral considerations alongside competitive priorities.
Looking ahead, investigators’ findings about the shooting will be pivotal for legal and political accountability, and the NBA and local franchises will likely face renewed calls to outline protocols for handling similar incidents. For fans and residents, the episode underscored that a game cannot entirely separate citizens from the larger public crises unfolding in their streets.