A statement from the Minnesota Timberwolves says Target Center in Minneapolis will be a safe place during Friday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, which is scheduled to begin two hours after Memphis authorities officials release video of the fatal police assault of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
“We are working closely with Commissioner Dr. Cedric Alexander, the Office of Community Safety, and the NBA,” the Timberwolves’ statement to Bring Me The Sports said. “Through this joint effort, we are confident that Target Center will be a safe venue for our fans and players.”
Bring Me The Sports asked the Timberwolves if there will be increased security, but an answer specific to that question was not provided.
There is heightened awareness around the country due to the sensitive nature of the video that is expected to be released, with reports out of Memphis saying the video is traumatic and appalling. The five now-fired Memphis police officers have all been charged with murder.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) Director David Rausch called the video “absolutely appalling,” while Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis stated the officers’ actions were “a failing of basic humanity” and “heinous, reckless and inhumane.”
A spokesperson with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) told Bring Me The Sports parent company Bring Me The News that it has sent out a precautionary alert to its federal firearms licensees “to be aware of potential for unrest” in the Twin Cities Friday night and to “secure their inventories and records.”
The White House issued a statement Thursday echoing Nichols’ mother’s request for peaceful protests.
“As Americans grieve, the Department of Justice conducts its investigation, and state authorities continue their work, I join Tyre’s family in calling for peaceful protest. Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable. Violence is destructive and against the law. It has no place in peaceful protests seeking justice,” President Joe Biden said.
