Oh Sh*t, I Shot Him!

In the shadow of the notorious Police fatal killing George Floyd Trial, Another young black man was killed by police in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

Sunday Evening, Daunte Wright was pulled over by police for expired license plate tags. While checking Wright's State Identification, they noticed the young man had a warrant for his arrest. Police approached Wright and asked him to put his phone down and step out of the car. After questioning police, Wright was removed from his vehicle and was placed against the car with his hands behind his back. The driver's door was still open at this time.

While placing the handcuffs on the young man, he quickly moved back into the front seat of his vehicle trying to escape. Police were in the midst of trying to extract him from his vehicle when 26-year veteran senior officer Kim Potter pulled her weapon warning him she would release the taser. On Potter's body cam, you can hear her say, "I will tase you!" After still tussling with Wright in the front seat, Potter yelled, "Taser! Taser!" Before he could take off in the vehicle, she fired the firearm she assumed was the taser, but she realized it was her gun after she discharged one bullet into Wright's chest.

As Wright drove off, you can hear the senior officer say, "Oh Sh*t, I shot him." Reports say that Daunte Wright drove for several blocks until he ran into another vehicle. Emergency Responders attempted life-saving efforts but were to no avail. Daunte Wright had passed away.

Wright's mother stated when the police asked him to put his phone down, that he was on the phone with her. She stated that one minute she was talking to her son, then a minute later she talked to his girlfriend who was in the car with him, that he had been shot.

The grieving mother stated that she doesn't want the chaos in the streets. She doesn't want them protesting, or all of the madness. She just wants her baby to come home.

Brooklyn Center Mayor, Mike Elliot condemned the shooting and says it is, "Unfathomable." He then requested that the senior officer be relieved from her duties as a police officer. She was then put on administrative leave. Police Chief took to the podium to tell his public that he believes the veteran officer mistakenly pulled the wrong weapon that led to the death of Wright.

Protestors took to the streets Sunday night protesting the shooting and demanding charges for the shooting officer. While on administrative leave, Potter resigned from her police duties, and the Police Chief followed shortly after her.

Reports state that during the protests, police responded with rubber bullets, tear gas, and flash grenades. Police stated they had arrested over 50 people as of Wednesday due to breaking the 7 pm curfew. Protestors were throwing weapons at the police. Protestors can be seen saying they are demanding change. The protestors stating, "No Justice, No Peace."

While Kim Potter was placed on leave, she was barricaded in her home with walls and barbed wire so no protestors could try to get their revenge on her.

Family, friends, and protestors believe that the "mistake" was not a "mistake." They believe the 26-year police veteran knew what she was doing when she pulled the weapon. That she should know by now where her taser is located and know the difference between the two. She is trained to know better and trains her fellow officers to know better as well.

A couple of days after the shooting it was announced that ex-officer, Kim Potter, will face second-degree manslaughter charges, which holds a ten-year prison sentence. But many believe it is not enough time.

For the past few weeks, in Minnesota, the trial of George Floyd has been watched closely by viewers from all over the country. George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis Police at a stop concerning a fake $20 bill. Now, 10 miles away, another 20-year-old black man lost his life at the hands of Minnesota Police.

Cited:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/14/us/daunte-wright-minnesota-shooting-wednesday/index.html

https://nypost.com/2021/04/13/over-50-arrested-in-second-night-of-protests-in-minnesota/