Amid a trial of the police killing of George Floyd, one that has garnered global attention, police in the state responsible for the death of one Black man have now shot dead another, sparking nationwide unrest that has prompted the President to call for peace.
On Sunday, a Minnesota police officer identified as Kim Potter shot dead 20-year-old Daunte Wright in the city of Brooklyn Center, after pulling the young man over. Wright phoned his mother and said he was being pulled over for violating a state law about hanging air fresheners from the rear view mirror; police said they did it over expired registration tags, but then found that Wright had an outstanding warrant. Following a struggle during the arrest, Wright attempted to get back into his car while officers were trying to handcuff him.
In bodycam footage that has since been released, an officer can be seen shouting “Taser! Taser” while attempting to subdue Wright, but is seen wielding a pistol. One officer fires a shot at Wright, who then drives the car away while the officer says “Holy shit, I just shot him.” Fatally wounded, Wright crashed a few streets away.
Police Chief Gannon later said that the officer meant to deploy her taser but pulled a pistol instead and fired that. Potter, who worked for the department for 26 years, was said to have drawn the pistol in error. She has been placed on administrative leave.
Anticipating unrest, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz imposed a curfew from 7 pm Monday till 6 am. Tuesday for three counties, Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis, and the capital of St. Paul. Ignoring this, hundreds gathered at the Brooklyn Center Police Department, shouting “No justice, no peace” and threw pieces of garbage at police.
40 arrests were made on grounds of curfew violation and rioting, the Minnesota State Patrol later said, saying some officers suffered minor injuries from the objects thrown at them. A candlelit memorial to Wright was also set up at the location he was shot at.
A few demonstrations took place in other parts of the US as well, with 200 protestors marching towards a police precinct in Portland, Oregon, which led to police firing rubber bullets and flash bangs. Incidents of looting were also reported in some locations.
A person takes a picture of a looted store while protesters rally outside Brooklyn Center Police Department, a day after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a police officer, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, U.S. April 12, 2021 | REUTERS/Leah Millis
President Joe Biden responded to the incident in a briefing on Monday. "It is really a tragic thing that happened, but I think we've got to wait and see what the investigation shows," Biden told reporters at the White House."In the meantime, I want to make it clear again: There is absolutely no justification—none—for looting, no justification for violence. Peaceful protests – understandable.”
For those who follow the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, the anger over Dwight’s killing has been palpable. Though the crime of hanging an air freshener was a minor demeanour, there was also an outstanding warrant on Wright. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have called for an independent investigation into the incident, saying that the air freshener law was often used to target Black drivers.
“The ACLU-MN has deep concerns that police here appear to have used dangling air fresheners as an excuse for making a pretextual stop, something police do all too often to target Black people” the ACLU said in a statement, calling for the police violence and killings of people of colour to end.
The incident comes as the trial of the police officer charged with killing George Floyd in a traffic stop last year comes to a close, with the family of the victims taking the stand as of Tuesday. The trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer responsible for kneeling on Floyd's neck for nine minutes in what was alleged to have caused his death, is taking place less than ten miles from where Wright was shot dead.
