Just before the start of the third week of Derek Chauvin‘s murder trial in the death of George Floyd, residents of a city nearby Minneapolis are reeling after another police-involved death of a Black man.
Crowds of people gathered on Sunday at a Brooklyn Center intersection where family members said Duante Wright, 20, was fatally shot by police in nearby Plymouth.
According to the Star Tribune, relatives of Daunte Wright, 20, told a growing crowd in Brooklyn Center that he was shot by police in Plymouth on Sunday afternoon, got back into his car and drove several blocks to Brooklyn Center, where he crashed the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
EMS audio reportedly indicated that paramedics arrived at the scene at 1:48 p.m. local time and found one person dead. A female passenger was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Tribune reported that law enforcement pulled over Wright’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Officers reportedly tried to take Wright into custody, apparently over an outstanding warrant. However, Wright got back into his vehicle and, moments later, an officer discharged his weapon and shot Wright.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has now launched an independent investigation of the incident. By Sunday evening, hundreds of people gathered near the scene in protest of police. Some protesters reportedly clashed with officers in riot gear and damaged two squad cars as police fired “non-lethal rounds” at the crowd. Photos shared online indicated that police shot rubber bullets at protesters.
Wright’s mother, Katie Wright, tearfully pleaded for police to give her more information about what happened to her son and for his body to be moved from the street.
According to MPR News, Duante Wright’s mother said she had just bought him a car and that he was on his way to a car wash at the time of the shooting.
Protesters chanted “Say his name: Daunte Wright!” as a line of police stretched down the street near the intersection where Wright crashed.
Police alleged that “officers determined that the driver of the vehicle had an outstanding warrant. At one point as officers were attempting to take the driver into custody, the driver re-entered the vehicle. One officer discharged their firearm, striking the driver. The vehicle traveled several blocks before striking another vehicle.”
The Brooklyn Center Police Department confirmed that officers wear body cameras and believe body and dash cameras were turned on during Wright’s encounter with police and the subsequent shooting.
Wright’s death comes as the nation closely watches the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who has been charged with the murder of George Floyd. On May 25, 2020, police were called to Cup Foods grocery store over an alleged attempt to use a counterfeit $20 bill. Police approached Floyd in his vehicle and placed him in handcuffs.
During the police encounter, Floyd was restrained on the ground as Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Despite pleas that he couldn’t breathe, Chauvin failed to remove his knee from Floyd’s neck as he slowly lost the breath from his body. He was later pronounced dead. His death was ruled a homicide by asphyxia or low oxygen.
This story is still developing.
Crowds of people gathered on Sunday in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota near Minneapolis after Daunte Wright, 20, was fatally shot by police.
thegrio.com
