Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers minced no words on Friday night, calling the shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis “straight-up murder.”
Following Milwaukee’s 105-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Rivers was asked how he felt about athletes being asked about and participating in politics. He took it as an opportunity to reference the Wednesday incident in which Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
“What happened in Minnesota was a straight-up murder, in my opinion,” Rivers said. “And it’s awful. This lady was probably trying to go home, and she didn’t make it home, and that’s really sad. The whole ICE thing is, it’s a travesty.”
Trump administration officials claim that Good was impeding an ICE operation and drove her car towards the agent, who acted in self-defense. Various videos of the incident appear to show one agent trying to open her SUV door and another stepping in front of the vehicle. An agent shot Good after she attempted to drive away.
Rivers, who previously spoke out against ICE when they deployed in his hometown of Chicago, denounced them once again on Friday.
“It’s clear, to me, we’re attacking Brown people, and I just happen to be Brown,” Rivers said. “And I don’t think it should just be Brown people who are upset at this. I think we all have to be.
“I don’t care what side of this thing you are on politically. What’s going on in our country right now is absolutely wrong, as far as the race stuff. The politics, I’m not gonna get into. The race stuff, I will. And it’s just wrong, and we have to do something, but the only thing we can do right now is keep speaking up because it doesn’t seem like they care, and that’s troublesome.”
Rivers comments echo those of echoed those of Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
“I’m glad that the Timberwolves recognized [Good’s] life and the tragic nature of her death,” Kerr said at his presser. “It’s shameful, really, that in our country we can have law enforcement officers who commit murder and seemingly get away with it. It’s shameful that the government can come out and lie about what happened when there’s video and witnesses who have all come out and disputed what the government is saying. So, very demoralizing, devastating to lose anyone’s life, especially in that manner. So it’s terrible, terribly sad for her family, and for her, and that city, and I’m glad the Timberwolves came out and expressed that sadness.”
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.