Killing of Daunte Wright

Killing of Daunte Wright
Body camera image of Kim Potter holding a gun during the arrest of Daunte Wright
Footage from Kimberly Potter's body camera of her holding a firearm during her shooting of Daunte Wright, April 11, 2021.
Map
Location of the incident in Brooklyn Center
LocationBrooklyn Center, Minnesota, U.S.
Coordinates45°04′09.3″N 93°20′27.9″W / 45.069250°N 93.341083°W / 45.069250; -93.341083
DateApril 11, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-04-11)
c. 2:00 p.m. CST (19:00 UTC)
Attack type
Homicide by shooting, manslaughter, police brutality
DeathsDaunte Demetrius Wright
InjuredAlayna Albrecht-Payton
PerpetratorKimberly Ann Potter[1]
VerdictGuilty on both counts
Convictions
TrialMN v. Potter 27-CR-21-7460[2]
Sentence2 years in prison (paroled after 1+13 years)
LitigationCivil lawsuits settled by Brooklyn Center:
  • Wright's family for $3.25 million
  • Albrecht-Payton for $350,000
  • Tim Gannon for $55,000

On April 11, 2021, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black American man, was fatally shot in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, by police officer Kimberly Potter during a traffic stop and attempted arrest for an outstanding warrant. After a brief struggle with officers, Potter shot Wright in the chest once at close range. Wright then drove off a short distance until his vehicle collided with another and hit a concrete barrier. An officer administered CPR to Wright; paramedics were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Potter said she meant to use her service Taser, shouting "Taser! Taser! Taser!" just before firing her service pistol instead.

The shooting sparked protests in Brooklyn Center and renewed ongoing demonstrations against police shootings in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, leading to citywide and regional curfews. Demonstrations took place over several days, and spread to cities across the United States. Two days after the incident, Potter and Brooklyn Center police chief Tim Gannon resigned from their positions.

Potter was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter at a jury trial in Hennepin County. She received a two-year sentence, of which she served 16 months incarcerated. Wright's family settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the City of Brooklyn Center for $3.25 million. The passenger in Wright's car, who was injured in the collision, settled a civil suit with the city for $350,000.

Public outrage over Wright's death, one of several high-profile police killings of black Americans in the early 2020s, helped advance discussion of police reform measures. In Brooklyn Center, the police department changed its policy on arresting people for misdemeanor offenses and city council introduced alternative public safety measures, but several proposed reforms failed to be implemented. In Minnesota and elsewhere in the United States, Wright's death led to changes in Taser procedures and other policing policies.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bogel-Burroughs, NYT 2021.04.13: Officer Kimberly Potter Resigns was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Minnesota v. Potter. Amended Complaint" (PDF). Minnesota Judicial Branch. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.