Daunte Wright Killing Was Accidental, Minnesota Police Chief Says

The police officer who fatally shot a Black man during a traffic stop in a Minneapolis suburb apparently intended to fire a Taser, not a handgun, as the man struggled with police, the city’s police chief said Monday.

Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon described the shooting death Sunday of 20-year-old Daunte Wright as “an accidental discharge.” It happened as police were trying to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant. The shooting sparked violent protests in a metropolitan area already on edge because of the trial of the first of four police officers charged in George Floyd’s death.

“I’ll Tase you! I’ll Tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!” the officer is heard shouting on her body cam footage released at a news conference. She draws her weapon after the man breaks free from police outside his car and gets back behind the wheel.

After firing a single shot from her handgun, the car speeds away, and the officer is heard saying, “Holy (expletive)! I shot him.”

President Joe Biden urged calm on Monday, following a night where officers in riot gear clashed with demonstrators. The president said he watched the body camera footage.

“We do know that the anger, pain and trauma amidst the Black community is real,” Biden said from the Oval Office. But, he added, that “does not justify violence and looting.”

Gannon said at a news conference that the officer made a mistake, and he released the body camera footage less than 24 hours after the shooting.

The footage showed three officers around a stopped car, which authorities said was pulled over because it had expired registration tags. When another officer attempts to handcuff Wright, a second officer tells Wright he’s being arrested on a warrant. That’s when the struggle begins, followed by the shooting. Then the car travels several blocks before striking another vehicle.

“As I watch the video and listen to the officer’s command, 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. “This appears to me from what I viewed and the officer’s reaction in distress immediately after that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in the tragic death of Mr. Wright.”

A female passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the crash, authorities said. Katie Wright said that passenger was her son’s girlfriend.

The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was investigating.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said any decision on charges against the officer will be made by the Washington County attorney under an agreement adopted last year by several county prosecutors aimed at avoiding conflicts of interest. Freeman has been frequently criticized by activists in Minneapolis over his charging decisions involving deadly use of force by police.

Gannon would not name the officer or provide any other details about her, including her race, other than describing her as “very senior.” He would not say whether she would be fired following the investigation.

“I think we can watch the video and ascertain whether she will be returning,” the chief said.

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[ajlacostewm]

How can you not distinguish how a gun feels in your hand, from a tazer ?

[POW_RYDER]

We blame the officer for an accident. Why do we not also hold accountable Duante who resisted and fled from police? This could have been avoided if we just cooperate with our police. He had warrant, expired plates, etc.
Who was wrong first.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? THE RATIO OF COPS HAVING TO PULL OVER BLACK PEOPLE IS SKY HIGH. IT ALL STARTS THERE. THEY CALL IT TARGETING. THE LAW CALLS IT BREAKING THE LAW.

[Pinchifyy]

This shows how poorly our police are trained. My 5 year old cousin can tell the difference between a taser and a gun, how can an adult not know the difference?

[eiforget]

If that female officer truly can't tell the difference between her gun and her taser, then she's unqualified to carry either. Enough. Enough now.

[dallasivory]

BUT IF A POC WERE TO TRY TO REACH OR DO SOMETHING ACCIDENTALLY, THATS A THREAT TO COPS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A MISTAKE FOR THEM TO REACH. THIS COP COULDN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WEAPONS THAT THEY ARE GIVEN! BUT THEY CALLING IT AN “ACCIDENT” LIKE CMON THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND SICK!!!! WHEN WILL THIS STOP?!?

[rusman]

Don't play games with police to make them mad, don't resist, don't try to run away and don't listen to your parents that police is bad, respect police and you won't be shot

[alliecakess]

Wth!!! And trained to have their gun//taser on a specific side???!!! What is actually goin on in the world??!

[marieclaire]

Here we go again This makes me rattlesnake mad 🐍 this Kim Potter is a 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center, Minn., Police Department, she and they are saying : Police officials that cause Wright's death on Sunday the result of an "accidental discharge"
My ass.
I don't believe it for New York Minute. If this police officer who's been on the force for 26 years a veteran that was teaching others rookies about proper handling in a situation about guns and tasers later on that day then she not a very good teacher when she makes a very crucial fatal mistake .if she can't tell the difference between a taser which is much lighter and a different color then their guns . Then get the hell out from being a police officer. not to mention all the officer have their guns drawn at the time of the incident. It was just a matter of time that something bad was going to happen. if you look closely at the videos you can see their taser were yellow and black color's . and there guns were solid black . Not to mention officers hold their gun on their dominant side their dominant hand .and their tasers would go on the opposite side of their gun holsters. Not to mention officers have extensive training throughout their careers in how to deescalate situations when and how to use tasers and when to use there gun .Then their training is failing them .

[herewardthewatchful]

Resisting arrest isn't a death sentence. Stepping on the gas risking running over, or dragging them to their death while their limbs are inside the vehicle is a death sentence.

[larrycherney]

The entire incident took place within 30 secs. i.e., very, very quickly. Issues to consider: 1) Driving w/expired tags was cause to be stopped. Why did Wright put himself in that position? Was he driving w/expired tags because he was unable to updated them because of the outstanding warrant? Were the cops wrong to stop him on that basis? Had Wright's tags been current, what are the chances he would have otherwise been stopped? 2) Who doesn't know that cops have computers in their cars to check the profiles of persons they stop for any reason? Wright freaked out. Had he not done so, he'd be alive today. Who wants persons w/outstanding warrants running around free? 3) I do not see any reason to believe Wright was shot because he was black. I'm inclined to believe as the spokesperson for the police said, it was an accident.

[treydelaney]

If you watched the video a couple things happened. Daunte resisted and tried to get away like a lot of people do and then they wonder why they end up getting tased or shot, so him resisting which in itself is absolutely wrong and her pulling the gun was a total accident and anyone who thinks or says it’s not is delusional

[terrylawrence]

I am still questioning if this was accident. It was my understanding that:
- Police officers wear their firearm on their strong side and the taser on the other side
- Glock weights is around 1kg and a taser weight 225 grammes
- She has her gun 4 seconds before shooting this poor guy.

How did she mistake her taser with her gun? Can someone help me to understand? That's a lot of mistakes in a minute...
Are those people really trained? What kind of training are they getting?

[IIIRorschachIII]

Uhh. If you don't know the weight difference between a pistol & a tazer, you don't need to be carrying a gun. If you don't know what & where your stuff is on your belt by heart without looking, you don't need to be on the street's. Bottom line, Everyone I know can be blindfolded & know the difference in pulling a gun & a tazer. The officer should be charged with murder..

[lyftuberninjaworkaholic]

Talkless about the mistake, let's focus on the QUICKNESS to draw any WEAPON on black kids.

[weknowthetruth]

protests really did something, back then they wouldn’t get considered guilty but now since all the protests and looting and damage buildings I feel like the judge will say they are guilty just to keep the people calm and avoid everything he rather throw someone in jail then have thousands in jail and other hurt/kill

[maxuntonodo]

like all the others he put himself in this situation. dont run from the cops because you have warrants because you didnt show up to court for gun possession. every time something like this happens it turns out that these people put themselves in the situation. damn no sympathy.

[mars]

She didn’t intend to kill him but she shouldn’t be able to use her incompetence as a defense.

[vladislavoliver]

Why is nobody talking about the fact that this whole thing was he own fault... Dude shoulda just let them do their job. I been arrested it's not that bad. You wanna do crime grow balls and do your time when you get cought. Honestly feels bad for the officer. Now she's gonna remember this for the rest of her days...

[ChengwaYu]

Accident or not he died on that mistake

[GlizzardWizard]

If the gun and taser was on the same side I would understand but how can you confuse your right from your left ????