"We had our hearts pulled out of our chests," the mother said. "[140], Potter was sentenced to two years in prison, serving sixteen months with eight months of supervised release. Daunte Wright's family mourns a young man killed by police. The family of Daunte Wright celebrate a guilty verdict for Kim Potter outside of the Hennepin County Government Center on Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, in Minneapolis. Justice would be no more names being yelled in our streets. [74], On September 2, Ellison's office added the charge of first-degree manslaughter, predicated on reckless use/handling of a firearm, a more serious charge than second-degree manslaughter and carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. [115] The girlfriend of George Floyd was also one of Wright's former teachers, and attended the press conference for support. Then he was killed by police. Daunte Wright is seen here in an undated file photo. [97], Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said in a tweet the evening of April 11, "The officer shooting in Brooklyn Center today is tragic. The parents of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man shot dead by a white Minnesota police officer that superiors say mistook her handgun for a Taser, said on Tuesday they "could not accept . Gwen and I are praying for Daunte Wright's family as our state mourns another life of a Black man taken by law enforcement. "[109], Al Sharpton said: "You can die for having expired tags or for a phony 20 dollar bill or you may have not even known it was a phony 20 dollar bill. [71] Potter was represented by Earl Gray, a Saint Paul-based attorney who also defended Thomas Lane and Jeronimo Yanez, who were involved with the killings of George Floyd and Philando Castile, respectively. Since then, she has received emails accusing her of creating a fake campaign designed to steal money from people, she told Insider. "[152] Though that officer was charged, a judge dismissed the charges. [21], On April 11, 2021, Wright was driving with his girlfriend in a white 2011 Buick LaCrosse that was registered to his brother. I can't accept that. He was funny and had big dreams for his future. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa). Daunte Wright's parents, Aubrey and Katie, listened at a rally to Amity Dimock, whose son Kobe Dimock-Heisler, was killed in 2019 by Brooklyn Center police. Wright also made many friends in his young life, mostly a younger crowd something that was made clear at the vigils and protests by the ages of those who attended, said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a former head of the NAACP in Minneapolis. [31], After her indictment, Potter was arrested, booked into a Hennepin County jail and released a few hours later after posting a $100,000 bail bond. Demonstrations took place over several days, and spread to cities across the United States. [141] The typical sentence for first-degree manslaughter in Minnesota is more than seven years in prison, with a maximum set at fifteen years. Daunte Wright's parents are speaking out after the 20-year-old was fatally shot by a police officer during a Minnesota traffic stop Sunday. A white police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in a Minneapolis suburb resigned Tuesday, April 13, 2021 as did the city's police chief moves that the mayor said he hoped would help heal the community and lead to reconciliation after two nights of . She had no idea it would be the last time she would speak with her son. Potter resigned from the police department days after the shooting. [10] He worked in retail and fast-food jobs to support his almost-two-year-old son, and had enrolled in a vocational school. RELATED: Daunte Wright's family, Brooklyn Center reach $3.25 million settlement. [24] Potter's supervisor arrived on the scene, and the officers ran Wright's name through a police database. The details surrounding the case are still developing, but Daunte's parents have decided to speak out about their late son and how his death was unjustified in their eyes. During the stop, police learned Wright had an outstanding warrant; when Potter and a trainee officer attempted to arrest him, Wright tried to drive off. Taser! Justice would be restoring Daunte to life and making the Wright family whole again. Daunte Wright's family has called for peaceful protests. [73] On May 24, Imran Ali, the assistant criminal division chief at the Washington County Attorney's Office, resigned from his job after several activist groups demonstrated outside Orput's home demanding that the charges be raised to murder. The ordinance created unarmed traffic enforcement and community response teams, and it prohibited arrests or vehicle searches in certain traffic-related encounters. Al Sharpton on the police killing of Daunte Wright: 'You can die for having expired tags', "Twins, Timberwolves, Wild reschedule games after Daunte Wright shooting", "Vikings Release Statement on the Killing of Daunte Wright by Brooklyn Center Police", "Timberwolves continue to seek change in wake of Daunte Wright killing", "Brooklyn Center PD union president speaks out after Daunte Wright shooting", "Daunte Wright's Mother Katie Wright Speaks At Tuesday Press Conference", "Daunte Wright Spent Final Moments Talking With His Mother", "This is what Daunte Wright told his mother on the phone right before he was shot", "Iconic fist sculpture from George Floyd Square rises in Brooklyn Center", "What will happen to the George Floyd memorial and all the others of Black men killed by Minneapolis police", "At Daunte Wright Funeral, Minneapolis Mourns the 'Prince of Brooklyn Center', "Mourners gather in Minneapolis for funeral of Daunte Wright", "Minnesota Judicial Branch - 27-CR-21-7460: State vs. Kimberly Potter", "Judge: Behavior errors on table at ex-cop's homicide trial", "Jury selection is underway in Kim Potter manslaughter trial", "What to Know About Kimberly Potter's Trial for the Death of Daunte Wright", "Who are the lawyers in the Kim Potter trial? Wright, 20, was pulled over April 11, 2021, by former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter for an expired tag and illegal air freshener, authorities have said. [77][78][79] Several protesters came from another rally against police violence, organized by families of people who had been killed, earlier in the day in nearby Saint Paul, Minnesota. [56], The NAACP released a statement saying "Whether it be carelessness and negligence, or a blatant modern-day lynching, the result is the same. Family and friends, foreground, of Daunte Wright, 20, mourn Sunday, April 11, 2021, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. 'Worst day of my life': As Daunte Wright's family grieves, police chief and officer resign in Brooklyn Center shooting. He came from a loving family and cared for his son, said aunt Naisha Wright. Potter fatally shot Wright after initially pulling him over for an expired registration tag on his car. [30], Wright's mother talked about seeing her son's body over FaceTime at a press conference on April 13. Updated Apr 12, 2021 at 10:34pm. FILE- The family of Daunte Wright attend a rally and march organized by families who were victims of police brutality in in St. Paul, Minn.,Monday, May 24, 2021. Taser! [21] He opened the driver's side door and Wright stepped out of the car. Jazz musician Keyon Harrold played an instrumental piece. This appears to me, from what I viewed and the officer's reaction and distress immediately after, that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in the tragic death of Mr. [14][15] Potter, a field training officer, was training a new officer at the time of the incident. ", The parents said they want to see "justice served" and the officer who shot their son "held accountable for everything that she's taken from us." ", "Former officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright to have trial start on Nov. 30", "Former Brooklyn Center officer Kimberly Potter's trial will be livestreamed", "Jury breakdown: Who will hear the trial of Kim Potter", "Mostly white jury seated for Kim Potter trial in Daunte Wright's death", "Kim Potter's trial in Daunte Wright's death will have a mostly white jury", "The jury begins deliberations in Kim Potter's trial over the killing of Daunte Wright", "No verdict in Kim Potter trial after first day of deliberation", "Jury finds Brooklyn Center Officer Potter guilty of manslaughter", "Live updates: Kim Potter found guilty in Daunte Wright shooting", "Guilty: Jury convicts Potter of both counts of manslaughter in shooting of Daunte Wright", "Kim Potter Sentenced to 2 Years in Daunte Wright's Death", "Kim Potter, the ex-cop convicted in Daunte Wright's death, is sentenced to 2 years", "Judge sentences former officer Kim Potter to 2 years in prison for killing Daunte Wright", "Daunte Wright's mother began to sob as the first guilty verdict was read", "Kim Potter Sentenced To 16 Months In Prison, 8 Months Supervised Release For Killing Daunte Wright", "Kim Potter sentenced to 2 years in Daunte Wright's death", "Family of Man Shot Hires Famous Civil Rights Attorney", "Brooklyn Center reaches settlement with Daunte Wright's family for $3.25 million", "Minn. city to pay $3.25M in police killing of Daunte Wright, lawyers say", "Daunte Wright's girlfriend settles suit against Brooklyn Center for $350,000", "Daunte Wright shooting echoes Rochester Taser error in 2002", "Minnesota Officer Who Shot Daunte Wright Meant to Fire Taser, Chief Says", "A Lawrence police officer meant to use a Taser. "An accident is knocking over a glass of milk," Jeff Storms, an attorney for Wright's family, said during a press conference outside Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. [152] In 2019, a scuffle in a jail cell led to another accidental shooting by a backup officer in New Hope, Pennsylvania. I never imagined this is what was going to happen. ", She went on to maintain that she was unsure why the officers escalated the situation and highlighted her son's fear of police. Im sorry it happened, she said after a prosecutor asked about her behavior following the shooting. ", Potter can be heard in the video yelling, "Holy s---, I just shot him!". Just 10 miles away in Minneapolis, the murder trial of former officer Derek Chauvin is underway for the death of George Floyd last year. "He was loved. Naisha Wright called her nephew's death "murder" and demanded that the officer be held to the "highest" standard in the law. ", "How a veteran officer could have mistaken a Glock for a Taser in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright", "Kimberly Potter trial: Emotions high as video of Wright killing plays in court", "Minn. police officer who shot Daunte Wright apparently meant to use Taser but accidentally fired gun, police chief says", "Kimberly Potter defense rests; closing arguments set for Monday", "One dead in police shooting in Brooklyn Center; tear gas deployed to clear protesters", "Protesters Clash With Police In Brooklyn Center After Deadly Officer-Involved Shooting", "Second night of demonstrations follow Daunte Wright shooting, Brooklyn Center officer identified", "Daunte Wright: Who was the 20-year-old Black man shot dead by police in Minneapolis suburb? If Potter is convicted of killing Daunte, LeMay said, 'at least his parents will get . Holy sh*t! [58] He said Potter intended to use a Taser on Wright, but pulled out and discharged her gun instead. 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