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Second night of unrest after fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright outside Minneapolis

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Police say Brooklyn Center officer meant to draw Taser, not handgun 03:29

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Trouble broke out again during a second night of protests outside police headquarters in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center, a day after one of the city's officers shot and killed 20-year-old Black man Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, CBS Minnesota reports.

Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon told a news conference Monday that the officer who shot Wright meant to use her Taser but instead grabbed her gun. Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran of the force, has been placed on administrative leave.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating Wright's death.

Sunday's shooting happened in the midst of the Derek Chauvin trial for the killing of George Floyd.

A 7 p.m. curfew in Hennepin County didn't deter hundreds of demonstrators Monday as they chanted outside headquarters. The building was fenced off. Brooklyn Center officers outside were buttressed by state troopers and Minnesota National Guard members.

After several dispersal orders were ignored, flashbangs and tear gas were deployed. Protesters countered with fireworks launched toward law enforcement.

Tear gas fired every few minutes pushed many in the crowd away from the front of the building by around 9:30 p.m.

Soon after, law enforcement began advancing on the protesters and firing rubber bullets, CBS Minnesota's Dave Schuman reported from the scene. At about the same time, the Brooklyn Center City Council voted to ban its officers from using rubber bullets and chemical irritants for crowd control.

The crowd had thinned out a lot by 10:30 p.m., as law enforcement members widened their perimeter. Schuman tweeted that police had established a line at a gas station a few blocks away.

Authorities said in an early morning briefing that approximately 40 people were arrested, some officers sustained minor injuries and there were a few instances of looting.

Duante Wright
Duante Wright Katie Wright / CBS Minnesota
 

Vigil held for Daunte Wright

Hundreds attended a vigil Monday night at the place where 20-year-old Daunte Wright died, CBS Minnesota reports. 

"My heart is literally broken into a thousand pieces and I don't know what to do or what to say, but I just need everybody to know that he is much more than this," Wright's mother, Katie Wright, said.

Chyna Whitaker, the mother of Wright's 1-year-old son, lamented that their child will now grow up without his father.

"He just made you feel better when he came around, and I'm just hurt that he's gone, and I can't believe it," Whitaker said. "He loved his son, and it's not fair that his son won't have his dad in his life."   

Read more here.

By Jordan Freiman
 

"Prayers are not enough": Vice President Harris comments on shooting

Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday night wrote on Twitter that "Prayers are not enough."

"Daunte Wright should still be with us," she wrote. "While an investigation is underway, our nation needs justice and healing, and Daunte's family needs to know why their child is dead—they deserve answers."

By Jordan Freiman
 

Police deploy gas and flash bangs to clear protesters

Police have begun clearing protesters from outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department. Hundreds had gathered outside the building, which is now surrounded by chain link fencing, earlier Monday. A curfew went into effect at 7 p.m. and will last until 6 a.m. 

Police gave several orders to disperse but the crowd remained outside the building. Police began deploying gas cannisters and flash bangs around 9:30 p.m. according to CBS Minnesota reporters on the scene.

In addition to Brooklyn Center police officers, state troopers and members of the Minnesota National Guard were stationed outside of the police department, CBS Minnesota reports.  

US-POLICE-CRIME-UNREST-RACISM
A Black Lives Matter flag is seen after curfew as demonstrators protest the death of Daunte Wright who was shot and killed by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota on April 12, 2021. KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images
By Jordan Freiman
 

Officer who shot Daunte Wright identified

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Monday identified Kim Potter as the police officer who shot Daunte Wright on Sunday. She has been a member of the Brooklyn Center Police for 26 years and is on "standard administrative leave," the BCA added.

By Jordan Freiman
 

Residents call for accountability

Residents of Brooklyn Center are demanding greater accountability following the fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright on Sunday. All happening amid the trial for the ex-officer charged in George Floyd's death.

"The police chief needs to be fired immediately," Nekima Levy Armstrong told CBS Minnesota. "The city manager needs to be fired immediately, in order to bring some semblance of justice in this situation."

By Jordan Freiman
 

Roughly 100 National Guard troops deployed to Brooklyn Center

About 100 Minnesota National Guard troops "will be supporting efforts to maintain peace in Brooklyn Center," according to Minnesota Operation Safety Net — the program developed to deal with the ongoing trial of Derek Chauvin. According to OSN, there are already 500 guardsmen supporting the operation. 

The Minnesota National Guard said that the number of guardsmen supporting the operation "will continue to grow in the coming days."

By Jordan Freiman
 

Medical examiner rules Wright's death a homicide

The Hennepin County medical examiner on Monday night said that Daunte Wright died from a gunshot wound to the chest and ruled his manner of death a homicide.

By Jordan Freiman
 

City manager "relieved of his duties," mayor says

Brooklyn Center City Manager Curt Boganey has been "relieved of his duties," according to Mayor Mike Elliott. "The deputy city manager will be assuming his duties moving forward," the mayor added.

By Jordan Freiman
 

Curfew announced for Twin Cities metro area

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, will both be under curfew from 7 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Mayors Jacob Frey and Melvin Carter III announced.

Governor Tim Walz also announced a curfew for Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka Counties. Dakota County officials said it will also observe the curfew Monday night, CBS Minnesota reports. Between those four counties, more than 2.5 million people are affected by the curfew, according to CBS Minnesota.

By Jordan Freiman
 

Minnesota Timberwolves, Twins and Wild postpone games

Three of Minnesota's major sports teams have postponed games scheduled for Monday. The NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, MLB's Minnesota Twins and the NHL's Minnesota Wild all announced they would not be playing Monday night.

"Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Daunte Wright during this difficult time," the NBA said in a statement.

The Twins said the team "decided it is in the best interests of our fans, staff, players and community to not play today's game."

The Wild called the shooting of Wright "heartbreaking."

Read more here

By Christopher Brito
 

Officer who shot Daunte Wright on administrative leave amid investigation

An investigation into the officer who shot Daunte Wright is underway, and she's on administrative leave.

"I think we can look at the video and ascertain whether or not she'll be returning," Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon told reporters.

Gannon said he believes the officer, described as "very senior," intended to deploy her Taser.

"This appears to me, from what I viewed and the officer's reaction and distress immediately after, that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in the tragic death of Mr. Wright," Gannon said.

The shooting sparked violent protests overnight and clashes with police. The chief defended the use of flash-bangs and tear gas to try to break up the group.

"We had to disperse the crowd because we can't allow our officers to be harmed," Gannon said.

By Jamie Yuccas
 

"I just shot him": Police release bodycam video of deadly shooting

Police released bodycam video from the officer who shot Daunte Wright during a press conference Monday. The footage from the unidentified female officer shows Wright exit his car, turn and face the vehicle with his hands behind his back.

As an unidentified male officer tries to place Wright in handcuffs, the female officer is heard telling Wright they had a warrant for him. The male officer is then heard saying, "Don't. I said stop, bro," as Wright starts to move. The female officer then attempts to grab Wright's arm.

Wright quickly gets back into the driver's seat. As the male officer struggles with Wright, the female officer is seen with a gun in her hands.

The female officer says, "TaserI Taser! Taser!" before saying an expletive.

"I just shot him," she says as the car drives away.

By Alex Sundby
 

Biden calls for calm in first comments on shooting

President Biden called for "peace and calm" in Minnesota amid the "tragic" death of Daunte Wright.

"I want to make it clear again: There is absolutely no justification, none, for looting. No justification for violence. Peaceful protest? Understandable. And the fact is that we do know that the anger, pain and trauma that exists in the Black community in that environment is real, it's serious and it's consequential," Mr. Biden told reporters in the Oval Office. "But it will not justify violence and/or looting."

The president made his first public comments about the shooting at a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers about his infrastructure plan. Mr. Biden said he has spoken with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and local officials but has not yet spoken with Wright's family.

"Our prayers are with their family," he said. "It's really a tragic thing that happened, but I think we got to wait and see what the investigation shows, the entire investigation."

Mr. Biden told reporters he watched the "fairly graphic" body camera footage of the shooting, but he noted it "remains to be determined" whether the shooting was accidental or intentional.

By Melissa Quinn
 

Judge in Chauvin trial denies jury sequestration over Brooklyn Center police shooting

An attorney for Derek Chauvin, the fired Minneapolis officer charged in George Floyd's death, asked for the jury in Chauvin's trial to be further questioned and sequestered in light of the Brooklyn Center shooting.

"This incident last night highlights, I think, brings to the forefront of the jury's mindset that a verdict in this case is going to have consequences," defense attorney Eric Nelson said.

Prosecutors argued the jurors were already asked whether they were so concerned about the outcome of their verdict that they would not be able to bring an impartial verdict. All agreed they would be able to set aside their concerns and render an impartial verdict.

Judge Peter Cahill said the Brooklyn Center shooting is a "totally different case." He said a sequestration order might cause further unease over safety concerns from the jurors: "Oh, I heard about the civil unrest and now the judge is ordering our sequestration." He said the jury will be sequestered once they begin their deliberations.

Read more here.

By Erin Donaghue
 

Trouble spills over into nearby Brooklyn Park

Police in another Minneapolis suburb, the city of Brooklyn Park, said in a statement that their officers weren't involved in the shooting in Brooklyn Center "but did respond to assist Brooklyn Center Police with civil unrest" that followed.

"Numerous buildings" were later looted in Brooklyn Park, police there said, adding that, "Just after 8 p.m., the Brooklyn Park Police Department front door was struck by gunfire shattering the glass.  Access to the public lobbies at both Brooklyn Park Police Buildings has been suspended for safety until further notice."

By Brian Dakss
 

Some looting reported in Brooklyn Center

Minnesota Department of Public Safety commissioner John Harrington told a news conference in the middle of the night that demonstrators threw rocks and other objects at officers at the Brooklyn Center police headquarters. But most protesters left by a little after 1 a.m. He added that the National Guard was activated and several law enforcement agencies helped quiet things down.

Harrington said some 20 businesses were broken into at the city's Shingle Creek shopping center.

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott announced a curfew for the city until 6 a.m. He tweeted, "We want to make sure everyone is safe. Please be safe and please go home."

And Brooklyn Center officials said schools will be closed Monday and all instruction will be via distance learning.

By Brian Dakss
 

Police use flashbangs, tear gas at headquarters

Law enforcement formed a human chain around Brooklyn Center Police headquarters as protests continued. Authorities used flashbangs and tear gas to try to break up the crowd, a CBS Minnesota reporter at the scene tweeted:

Officers stand guard outside Brooklyn Center Police Department after police allegedly shot and killed a man, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
Tear gas is seen as officers stand guard outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department, outside Minneapolis, as trash was bring thrown at them by demonstrators after police shot and killed a man earlier on April 11, 2021. NICHOLAS PFOSI / REUTERS
By Brian Dakss
 

Woman says she's mother of man fatally shot by police

A woman who said she's the mother of the man shot and killed by police, Katie Wright, told a crowd of protesters Sunday afternoon her son, 20-year-old Daunte Wright, was that man, CBS Minnesota reports. She said Wright's girlfriend was in the car with him at the time of the traffic stop. Police say that woman suffered non-life threatening injuries in the crash and was taken to a hospital.

Katie Wright said her son called her to say, "Mom, I'm getting pulled over," and, "They're asking about insurance." She said she then heard officers telling him to get out of the car. When he asked why, officers told him they would explain once he got out. She said officers then told him to put his phone down, and then she heard someone telling her son not to run. She said an officer then ended his call.

She said soon after, her son's girlfriend called her to say he'd been shot. Wright's mother said she went to the scene and saw him "lifeless" by his car, which she had given to him just two weeks earlier.

"I just want people to know that if you get pulled over, make sure you put your hands up and don't make any sudden moves, and don't have air fresheners in your car because that's why he got pulled over. And he was only 20 years old and he didn't deserve to be shot and killed like this," Wright said.

"And I don't want all of this, all of this. I just want my baby home. That's all I want is I want him to be home. I don't want everybody out here chanting and screaming, yelling. I just want him home. That's it."  

By Brian Dakss
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