Violent protests broke out after officer Kimberly Potter killed
Daunte Wright when she mistook her gun for her Taser. The Brooklyn
Center mayor wants Potter fired and fired the city manager because he
called for due process for the officer
By Howie Katz
The
cop who accidentally killed Daunte Wright has been identified as
Kimberly Potter, a 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center police force.
The 48-year-old officer is the married mother of two adult sons.
Officer Kimberly Potter
What
started out as a simple traffic stop soon turned into a deadly
encounter. According to the police, Potter pulled Daunte Wright, 20,
over for expired license plate tags. Wright's mother insists that the
tags had not expired and that her son was sopped because he had an air
freshener dangling from the rear view mirror.
Daunte Wright and his one-year-old son
After
the stop, Potter learned there were two outstanding misdemeanor
warrants for Wright, one for carrying a pistol without a permit and the
other for fleeing the police. Wright's aunt insists the warrants were
for "just some weed."
Wright
was outside his car when Potter tried to handcuff him. A struggle
ensued because he tried get back in his car in an attempt to escape.
Potter shouted "Taser" several times ... and then, "Holy shit, I shot
him."
Potter
had mistakenly pulled her gun when she only meant to use her Taser.
That mistake led to the accidental shooting which cost Wright his life.
Potter was a training officer and was training a rookie cop when she
shot Wright.
Officer Potter drew her gun when she meant to use her Taser
"Accident?
An accident? No, come on now. I own a 20,000 volt Taser. They don't
feel nothing like a gun," Wright's aunt told CNN.
Protests quickly erupted in front of the Brooklyn Center police station. As time went by, the protest became violent.
The
Brooklyn Center city manager was fired because he called for 'due
process' for Potter after the mayor called for her to be fired.
And AOC squad member Rashida Tlaib said Wright's death was "government-funded murder" and called for abolishing the police.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib
Tlaib said: "It wasn't an accident. Policing in our country is inherently and intentionally racist. Daunte
Wright was met with aggression and violence. I am done with those who
condone government-funded murder. No more policing, incarceration, and
militarization. It can't be reformed."
There
have been a number of other incidents where officers intended to pull
their Taser but drew their gun instead. It is true that Tasers don't
feel like a gun, but in the heat of a struggle an officer might easily
not notice this. Also, when an officer perceives a threat he may instinctively draw his gun, even though he intended to use a Taser.
Kimberly
Potter's mistake led to the accidental shooting of Wright.
Unfortunately, that mistake is likely to end the career of very
outstanding police officer.
UPDATE:
Potter and Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon have both resigned.
The city council has voted on Monday to fire both Potter and Gannon.
I
believe the city council voted to fire Chief Gannon because he defended
Kimberly Potter, just like they fired the city manager for calling for
'due process' for Potter.
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