The NBA postponed Saturday’s game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors after a federal agent shot a gunman who was interfering with police activities in Minneapolis.
“Today’s National Basketball Association game between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center has been postponed,” the NBA said in a statement Saturday. “The decision was made to prioritize the safety of the Minneapolis community.”
While the NBA claims to have prioritized the “safety” of the people of Minneapolis. The NHL faced the same reality after the shooting and did the opposite, having the Minnesota Wild play their scheduled matchup against the Florida Panthers.
At the time of writing, the game is in the third period and no security incidents have been reported.
The NBA’s decision to postpone the game contrasts with how they handled the previous shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis. After an anti-ICE protester, Renee Good, was shot and killed earlier this month while hitting an agent with her vehicle. The NBA held a minute of silence for Good, but did not cancel the game.
It’s unclear why the league believes holding the game now would pose a threat to public safety, but it didn’t feel that way earlier this month.
The gunman shot by ICE has been identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti.
