Police shot and killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center Sunday.
Brooklyn Center’s police chief said the officer who shot Wright, Kim Potter, thought she was using a taser instead of a firearm — though this cannot be confirmed. She can be heard yelling “Taser,” before shooting him and then swearing and saying “I just shot him.”
Police initially stopped Wright for driving a vehicle with expired tags. When they realized that there had been a warrant out for his arrest, police tried to detain Wright. The warrant was due to a missed court date for a firearm misdemeanor and fleeing from police.
After Wright was shot in the chest, he attempted to drive away and crashed after several blocks. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Following the killing, protesters and mourners gathered at the site of the shooting at 63rd Avenue North and Kathrene Drive and at the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Sunday and Monday.
Gov. Tim Walz announced a 7 p.m. curfew for Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin and Ramsey counties for Monday night. Frey announced a 10 p.m. curfew for Minneapolis Tuesday night as well.
In a letter to President Joan Gabel, the Board of Regents and other senior administrators, the Minnesota Student Association demanded that the UMPD cut ties with the West Command Task Force, a group of law enforcement agencies established after the police killing of George Floyd. According to Gabel, police departments in the task force assist each other “in the event of an emergency that exceeds their own capacity.”
Both Potter and Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon resigned Tuesday. The Brooklyn Center city manager was fired Monday.
Prior to her resignation, Potter was put on administrative leave amid an investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
