Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr on Sunday talked about the Border Patrol-involved shooting in Minneapolis that led to the postponement of their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The incident occurred Saturday and left one man dead – who was later identified as Alex J. Pretti. He was shot and killed after he allegedly confronted officers during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation in the southern part of the city. It was the second shooting involving federal officers in the month of January.
Kerr took issue with the media for how it covered the deadly shooting.
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“My concern as an American, we’re not perfect,” he said when asked about a “path forward” in the U.S. “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.”
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Kerr also praised the residents of Minneapolis as he talked to the media before the Warriors took on the T’Wolves in the rescheduled game.
“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.”
Kerr said he had conversations with T’Wolves head coach Chris Finch about postponing the game and he agreed that it should have been done.
“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 shooting death came a few weeks after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good. DHS said Good was shot in self-defense after she used her SUV in a way that posed a threat. DHS said video showed Good interfering with ICE officers by parking her vehicle in the roadway in an apparent attempt to block federal vehicles.
Kerr called Good’s death a “murder.”
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