Another tragedy has shaken up the U.S. Over the weekend, 20-year-old Daunte Wright was driving along with his girlfriend when he was pulled over for allegedly having expired license plate tags. When officers did a check on his name, they reportedly saw that he had an outstanding warrant (reasons have not been disclosed). It's reported that Wright was asked to exit his vehicle and was shot and killed while trying to return to his car. Some reports state he was on the phone with his mother at the time.
Brooklyn Center police Chief Tim Gannon held a press conference on Monday (April 12) and shared it was his theory that the officer responsible for the shooting didn't mean to fire her weapon. "It is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet," Gannon said.
He added, "This appears to me, from what I've viewed and the officer's reaction and distress immediately after, that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in the tragic death of Mr. Wright." Protests immediately erupted near the site of Wright's death—a location in Minnesota that isn't far from where Derek Chauvin is currently on trial for the slaying of George Floyd.
The officer involved has been identified as 26-year veteran officer Kim Potter. She has been placed on standard administrative leave and is said to have obtained a lawyer. How this case will move forward remains to be seen now that the medical examiner has ruled Daunte Wright's death as a homicide. While that seems promising for those seeking justice, investigating officials may still judge Wright's shooting as justifiable. Meanwhile, protests continue in Minneapolis and surrounding areas.
