Daunte Wright: Former Officer Charged With 2nd Degree Manslaughter
- The policewoman who fatally shot Daunte Wright was arrested and is being held without bond in jail
- Kim Potter has been charged with second-degree manslaughter for shooting 20-year-old Wright during a traffic stop
- Reports say that Potter has over 20 years of experience in the police work field and was her partner's field trainer at the time of Wright's killing
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Kim Potter, the police officer who fatally shot young Daunte Wright after a traffic stop, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter. Potter resigned from her position at the Brooklyn Center Police Department earlier this week.
The traumatic incident was captured on the body-cam worn by Potter who, according to the footage, thought she was using a taser and not a firearm. The murder of 20-year-old Wright resulted in unrest and protests in Minnesota, Minneapolis in the US.
Potter is being held at the Hennepin Country jail without bond and is reportedly waiting for her first court appearance.
Source: Getty Images
According to a report by SABC News, on Tuesday a number of protesters gathered outside the Brooklyn Centre Police Headquarters for the third night in a row. Officers threw teargas and fired non-lethal rounds as well as flash-bang rounds in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
The report continued by saying that some of the protestors became rowdy by throwing bottles and other objects over the fence that surrounds the building. With regards to the video of Potter screaming that she had a taser (not a gun), Wright's family and their lawyer have rejected that his death was an accident.
Potter reportedly has 26 years of experience in the field and was her partner's field trainer at the time of Wright's murder.
A report by The Washington Post revealed that under the law in Minnesota, a person convicted of second-degree manslaughter can face a fine of up to $20 000 (around R283 000) or 10 years in prison.
Previously, Briefly News reported on Wright's untimely passing and what followed. Twitter posts showed a large influx of people walking across the upper level of the bridge in an attempt to show solidarity with Wright.
The 20-year-old black man was shot by a Minnesota police officer during a Sunday traffic stop, resulting in his death.
Brooklyn Center Police Department came forward stating that the shooting was unintentional as the policewoman had mistaken her gun for a taser. This statement was proven further as bodycam footage of the event was released showing the officer screaming: “Taser! Taser!”
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Source: Briefly News
