Megan Turner
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The police officer who fatally shot a black man during a traffic stop in a Minneapolis suburb apparently intended to fire a Taser during the traffic stop, not a handgun, the city’s police chief said Monday.
Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon described the shooting as “an accidental discharge” and said the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was investigating.
Daunte Wright, 20, died Sunday as a result of the gunshot wound. Authorities said the car was pulled over for having expired registration. A female passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the crash.
The AP reports the police chief would not name the officer or provide any other details about her, including her race, other than describing her as “very senior.”
During the news conference, authorities said after determining the driver had an outstanding warrant, the police tried to arrest Wright.
The footage showed three officers around a stopped car and when another officer attempts to handcuff Wright, a second officer tells Wright he’s being arrested on a warrant, the AP reports.
The police chief said it is his belief the officer made a mistake, and he released the body camera footage less than 24 hours after the shooting.
“I’ll Tase you! I’ll Tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!” the officer is heard shouting on her body cam footage.
The female officer 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 in an attempt to Tase the individual, the car speeds away, and the officer is heard saying, “Holy (expletive)! I shot him.”
“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.”
Gov. Tim Walz announced a curfew from 7 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday for three counties that include Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis and the capital of St. Paul, the article reads.
The AP reports that Waltz warned anyone who chooses to “exploit these tragedies” with violence “can rest assured that the largest police presence in Minnesota history” will be prepared to arrest law breakers.
Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott called the shooting “deeply tragic,” the AP reports.
“We’re going to do everything we can to ensure that justice is done and our communities are made whole,” he said.
USA Today reports the officer was placed on administrative leave, and the police chief said it was too soon to say whether she would face charges.
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, the AP reports.
Check back with OutKick for updates on this developing story.
Good luck with that governor. Hopefully the people in the Twin Cities got their burn loot murder insurance.
ZZZ
Hey, I know: don’t be a criminal, then you won’t get shot. The commonality in all these incidents: the “martyr” in each case was wanted for criminal activity. And where is the uproar when a black criminal shoots a cop?
This story doesn’t fit the narrative
I’m pro police but you can’t have that happen as an officer. I’m concerned she wasn’t able to distinguish her pistol from her taser under pressure. She very well could have killed a fellow officer there on top of the driver. Has no business carrying a weapon.
we never hear about female cops and shootings. i’m a news junkie and i’ve never heard anyone mention a possible deficit that may occur if a woman is involved in a situation like this.
her partner seemed to fail to take control as his training should have kicked in. she may have been telling him to grab his taser, because she has his back.
idk
Agree he was WAAAY too lackadaisical when he began to handcuff him.
If i am a woman and a large cop next to me cannot subdue another man, that has a warrant for a firearm violation, i am grabbing my gun.
nobody is even mentioning that she may be a middle aged woman incapable of physucally helping her partner other than backup with a gun.
its as if its not allowed to be discussed.
That’s an interesting point Chris. It’s probably the case for an older out of shape male cop(I’ve seen a FEW). What’s going to happen if you’re in a tussle with a large male perp high on drugs, and you can’t get to your firearm? It’s over, AND they’ll get the gun. An officer has to be able to handle themselves physically against large males to be qualified for the job, right? I guess I have just assumed this over the years, but it may not be the case anymore. If an officer can’t physically restrain a large drugged up criminal any better than my mom can, no wonder they’re quick on the trigger. And you’re right, we are not allowed to talk about this anymore.
After announcing “tasor, tasor, tasor” I can’t imagine she intentionally pulled her gun. It was reported the officer had over twenty years on the force with a solid record. Looks like she freaked under pressure. Terrible tragedy. No excuse for the officer’s mistake, but yet again here’s another case of resisting arrest gone bad.
So they didn’t defund and disarm the cops? Weird.
Looks like a case of involuntary manslaughter. It is a terrible tragedy, but there is still criminal liability. You can’t make that mistake. Also I don’t think the other cops intervened because I believe she was training them.
It appeared the two male cops were pretty good size and the kid was skinny small it was more of a struggle than a fight I believe they didn’t even need a taser they could have jerked him back out and put him on the ground. I am pro police and always try to give them the nod but this should never ever have happened hard to figure what’s going on in Minnesota a cop with 20 years experience very sad