Daunte Wright Shooting: No Arrests In 5th Night Of Protests
[Update: 6 a.m. Friday]: It was the most peaceful night of Daunte Wright protests in Brooklyn Center Thursday night with no arrests reported. No pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets or flash bangs were used by police and National Guard.
Operation Safety Net reported that there were fewer than 20 protestors around 11:30 last night, which was 90 minutes past curfew.
A second layer of fencing was added to the perimeter of the Brooklyn Center Police Station Thursday. Protestors responded to it by hanging dozens of air fresheners on it. That's in referenece to the first narrative we heard from Wright's mom after he died. She said he called her telling her he was pulled over by police for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Hundreds gathered outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department Thursday night for a fifth round of protests following the fatal police shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright.
Protesters began gathering outside of the fenced-off police headquarters in the early evening.
The fifth night of protests outside the Brooklyn Center Police Dept. underway. A second layer of concrete barriers/fencing was set up between the protesters and law enforcement. Many more officers on the rooftop tonight.@wcco #DaunteWright pic.twitter.com/UL3PhVQvIz
— Jeff Wagner (@Jeff_Wagner4) April 16, 2021
A curfew went into effect at 10 p.m. That curfew was announced just after 8 p.m. by city officials near the end of an emergency city council meeting.
Just after curfew, authorities said about 200 to 300 protesters were still outside of the police department.
Currently, 200-300 protesters remain outside of the @BrklynCenterMN police department in violation of the curfew. #MNOSN
— Minnesota OSN (@MinnesotaOSN) April 16, 2021
Forty minutes past curfew, WCCO's Jeff Wagner reported the scene was "very, very calm compared to previous nights."
40min past curfew outside the BCPD station. Very, very calm compared to previous nights. By this time last night, police had surrounded the area and started arresting people. Haven't even heard a dispersal order yet. #DaunteWright @WCCO pic.twitter.com/XLMr0fm8fo
— Jeff Wagner (@Jeff_Wagner4) April 16, 2021
One hour after curfew, authorities said about 75 protesters were still on scene.
One hour after the end of curfew, approximately 75 protesters remain outside the @BrklynCenterMN Police Department. Most are milling around. A few still attempt to engage officers across the fence line. #MNOSN
— Minnesota OSN (@MinnesotaOSN) April 16, 2021
Former BCPD officer Kim Potter has been charged with second-degree manslaughter in Wright's death. She shot and killed Wright during a traffic stop Sunday. Body camera footage showed her yelling "Taser" before firing her gun.
Both she and former police chief Tim Gannon resigned in the wake of Wright's killing.
Protesters have been at the police department each night since Wright's death.
A short drive across town from the police department, an emotional gathering has also been taking place, albeit with a different tone.
"There's a spirit, there's an aura, and you have to be in it," Sonya Lewis from Plymouth said.
As difficult as the reality is of why this otherwise mundane street corner in Brooklyn Center is now a heavy place of mourning and reflection, Lewis felt called to be here, and for her young son to join her.
"I need for my son to be aware of what's going on and for him to be able to see it and to really bring it to light but at the same time as a mother, I need to protect him," Lewis said.
Daunte Wright took his last breaths here, moments after being shot by police.
Shielding children from that truth versus overwhelming them with its intensity is a delicate balance mothers like Kaswanna Murphy must navigate.
"This is literally five minutes away from my house so I just wanted to bring them here to show that this is real and it can happen anywhere," Murphy said.
Tough conversations about interacting with police are not new for her family, but at this corner, words aren't necessary.
"When we got here, their energy shifted a lot, it got very emotional," Murphy said.
Questions of why and how stirring in their minds.
"Daunte called his mom and it still happened," Murphy said. "I tell them to call me all the time if anything happens and now I just don't know what to tell them anymore."
They're life lessons these mothers will contemplate -- but not alone.
"And we will go home and we will decompress, we will talk about this," Lewis said.