Chicago Sky standout Angel Reese briefly broke her usual silence on public affairs this weekend, sharing a message that quickly drew attention amid a tense national moment.
On Saturday, January 24, Reese posted a short message on X that read, “Praying for our country.”
According to Fox News, the post did not reference a specific incident, but it arrived as news spread about a fatal shooting involving federal immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis earlier that day.
Reese has generally kept her social media focused on basketball and personal milestones, rarely weighing in on political or national issues. However, she has spoken publicly in moments of heightened emotion before.
Following the 2024 presidential election, the WNBA forward shared a series of posts expressing frustration and disappointment with the outcome.
“Woke up speechless…,” Reese wrote at the time, later adding, “I’m so disappointed in America….Some of you just couldn’t selfishly put your pride aside huh??!?!?”
She also noted, “As a woman, I’m heartbroken for us all.”
The Minnesota incident that dominated headlines Saturday occurred during an early-morning immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. According to federal officials, a Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti during the operation.
Authorities said Pretti approached agents while armed and resisted attempts to disarm him. Emergency medical care was administered on scene, but Pretti was pronounced dead.
In the hours that followed, law enforcement reported that crowds gathered near the site of the shooting. Federal and local agencies said some individuals attempted to obstruct officers, prompting crowd-control responses. Minneapolis police later described the gathering as an unlawful assembly and urged residents to avoid the area.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara addressed the situation at a news conference, calling for calm and emphasizing the importance of peaceful responses.
“Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands,” O’Hara said.
The Minneapolis Police Department also released a statement asking the public to remain calm and follow official city channels for updates as multiple agencies coordinated their response.