Ex-Cop Who Shot Daunte Wright Will Be Charged With Manslaughter
AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa
Former Minnesota police officer Kimberly Potter will be charged with second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, prosecutors announced.
Washington County Attorney Pete Orput confirmed to multiple outlets including CNN, the New York Times and the Associated Press that Potter will face charges in Wright’s death. She is expected to be formally charged later Wednesday.
Potter fatally shot Wright — a 20-year-old Black man — during a stop for a traffic violation on Sunday.
Former Brooklyn Center Police Chief, Tim Gannon, who resigned after the shooting, previously said at a press conference that Potter meant to grab her Taser but grabbed her gun instead and fatally shot Wright.
In body-camera footage of the shooting, a police officer can be heard saying: “Holy s—. I just shot him.”
Gannon said the shooting was the result of an “accidental discharge.”
Potter resigned from the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Tuesday.
Brooklyn Center is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota, but the adjacent Washington County Attorney’s Office is filing the charges to avoid any conflicts of interest, KSTP reported.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Wright’s family, said in a statement shared with Insider that he would keep fighting for justice and police reform.
“While we appreciate that the district attorney is pursuing justice for Daunte, no conviction can give the Wright family their loved one back. This was no accident. This was an intentional, deliberate, and unlawful use of force,” Crump said. “Driving while Black continues to result in a death sentence. A 26-year veteran of the force knows the difference between a taser and a firearm. Kim Potter executed Daunte for what amounts to no more than a minor traffic infraction and a misdemeanor warrant.”
Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said Tuesday that Potter should face “full accountability” in the shooting.
This is a developing story. Please check back for more updates.
