Fox Sports host and prominent NBA analyst Chris Broussard has ignited a fierce social media storm after sharing his provocative views on America's deepening political divisions. The controversy erupted in the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.
Broussard's Controversial Statement
The 57-year-old co-host of FS1's 'First Things First' posted a strongly-worded message on Sunday that quickly went viral. Broussard wrote: 'If u can't clearly & boldly state the craziness of Democrats being unable to define what a woman is & saying men can get pregnant, AND the madness of Republicans defending the murder of Alex Pretti, then you're following a political party/ideology & not The Lord Jesus Christ.'
Social Media Backlash and Support
The reaction to Broussard's tweet was immediate and polarised, creating a clear divide among his followers and the wider online community. Critics swiftly condemned what they perceived as a false equivalence between two unrelated political issues.
One angry user responded: 'This is a disturbing false equivalence and Brou I honestly thought you were better than this.' Another questioned: 'How are these two things even comparable?' while a third critic called it 'a moronic tweet' and accused Broussard of using 'a god reference hoping that it will excuse your stupidity on this matter.'
However, Broussard also received significant support from those who agreed with his perspective. Supporters replied with messages including 'Well said', 'Great take Chris', and 'Exactly Chris! Thank you for this!' One enthusiastic follower commented: 'And this is why we love you Chris! I wish a certain member of your show were the same.'
The Minneapolis Shooting Incident
The controversy centres on the tragic death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was shot and killed during a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis early Saturday morning. According to Department of Homeland Security officials, the 37-year-old was armed with a legally-permitted Sig Sauer P320 9mm pistol when he allegedly attempted to intervene as agents detained a woman.
Authorities stated that shots were fired 'defensively' after Pretti was allegedly 'violently' resisting officers. Bystander video captured approximately 30 seconds of struggle before someone shouted 'gun, gun', though it remains unclear whether this referred to Pretti's weapon or an agent's firearm.
Official Responses and Family Reaction
In the hours following the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asserted that Pretti had attacked officers, while U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino claimed he wanted to 'massacre law enforcement.' White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller described Pretti on social media as 'a would-be assassin.'
Pretti's family issued an emotional statement expressing their heartbreak and anger, vehemently disputing the official account. They described their son as 'a kindhearted soul who wanted to make a difference in the world' and condemned what they called 'sickening lies' from the administration.
The family statement detailed: 'Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed.'
Legal Developments and Protests
A federal judge has issued an order preventing the Trump administration from 'destroying or altering evidence' related to the shooting, following lawsuits filed by state and county officials. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison explained that the legal action aims to preserve evidence collected by federal authorities that state investigators have not yet examined. A court hearing has been scheduled for Monday in federal court in St. Paul.
The shooting has sparked demonstrations across multiple American cities, including New York, Washington, and Los Angeles. In Minneapolis, despite dangerously cold temperatures around minus 6 degrees, protesters gathered near the shooting location, shouting profanities at federal officers and calling them 'cowards.' Demonstrators blocked streets with large garbage bins, some of which were set alight.
This incident occurred just over a mile from where an ICE officer killed 37-year-old Renee Good on January 7, an earlier shooting that had already triggered widespread protests across the country.
