Monday afternoon’s game between the Minnesota and Boston Red Sox twins was postponed for “safety reasons” following a police shooting of Daunte Wright on Sunday night.
“Out of respect for the tragic events that took place yesterday in Brooklyn Center and the additional details in this evolving situation, the Minnesota twins have decided that it is in the interest of our fans, staff, players and community not to play today’s game.” he said in a statement.
The decision to postpone the game was made by Gemini after consulting Major League Baseball, in addition to local and state officials.
Wright, a 20-year-old black man, died Sunday after a police officer shot him in the Brooklyn Center suburb during a traffic stop. The Brooklyn Center police chief said the shooting was accidental, as the officer involved intended to fire a stun gun and not a pistol during a fight with Wright. Police were trying to arrest him on a warrant.
Tensions were already high in the city over the ongoing trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd.
Protests over Wright’s shootings are planned in downtown Minneapolis, where Target Field, home of the twins, is located. Before the postponement announcement, both teams took the field to warm up, with the national anthem already played.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.