George Floyd, Now Daunte Wright: The Horrendous History Repeating Itself


This new incident adding to the chain of heartbreaking injustice on American soil took place on  April 11, 2021, where Daunte Demetrius Wright, a 20-year-old African-American man was fatally shot by Kimberly Potter, a police officer, during a traffic stop for an outstanding arrest warrant in Brooklyn Centre, Minnesota.

Kimberly Potter is a 26-year-old veteran of the Brooklyn Centre police force and the head of the local police force. The incident took place about 16 kilo meters away from where police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial in the killing of George Floyd.

The Main Incident

Police initially said that Mr. Wright was pulled over was because of traffic regulation, but on Monday said it was because of an expired registration. Once Wright was stopped, the cops found out that he has an outstanding warrant.

The chaos that ensued according to witnesses and the body cam recordings available included Wright being pulled out of the car to detain him, after which he climbs back into the driver’s seat, ensuing a struggle, the background yelling of an officer for a taser and voices saying that Wright has been shot.

After which Mr. Wright was seen driving away in his car to escape but struck a vehicle shortly after travelling a few blocks. The paramedics pronounced Mr. Wright dead at the scene.The Hennepin County medical examiner later concluded on Monday that Mr. Wright passed away because of a bullet wound in the chest.

Official Statements

The police chief for Brooklyn Center, Tim Gannon, after closely reviewing evidence has said that he believes that the officer was intending to use the taser but instead shot Mr. Wright.

Katie Wright, Mr. Wright’s mother, told reporters that she was on a call with her son when the incident happened. According to her, Mr. Wright said they pulled him over because he had air fresheners hanging from his rear view mirror. Following which the phone had fallen or was put down, and she heard sounds of scuffling and a cop saying Mr. Wright to not run. Then the call dropped. When she called back on the phone, a lady who was in the car along with Mr. Wright picked up and responded that he had been shot.

The Fuel to the Fire

The death of Daunte Wright has set of series of outraged protests around Brooklyn and is happening just six weeks before the painful anniversary of the death of George Floyd who was killed in the same vicinity. Floyd’s unjustly killing had led to a widespread international outcry over racial injustice, systemic racism, and gaining more voice for the Black Lives Matter movement.

After the shooting, the protestors gathered around the police headquarters near Brooklyn Centre, and on Sunday night, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott issued a curfew through 6 a.m. local time Monday morning.

Police reportedly fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who gathered near a police station, and strife lasted late into the night. They fired gas even reached nearby apartments and disrupted residents who had to close doors and windows as it filled up their homes.

About the Perpetrator

Kimberly Potterwas indoctrinated as a police officer in 1995 at the age of 22, corresponding to the information by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and has been in several incidents that have found themselves under heavy scrutiny.

The Star-Tribune also reported that Potter had previously been involved in a fatal police shooting involving 21-year-old Kobe Dimock-Heisler, a Black man, who was described as being on the autistic spectrum. According to the victims of the particular situation, the police failed to de-escalate the situation and even used deadly force and provoked Kobe further making things difficult.

In less than 48 hours of the shooting of Mr. Wright, Potter signed in her resignation. The Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon who had been chief since 2015 also resigned on Tuesday.

State of Minneapolis

With the upcoming closing trial for the charges on Derek Chauvin on the killing of George Floyd, there is palpable tension in the air around the city of Minneapolis. If the city had been on edge before, the incident of the shooting of Mr. Wright is just adding fuel to the fire.

Various regions have been in a state of unrest with the National Guard troops patrolling the downtown area with the protection of concrete mesh and barbed wires, but Mr. Wright’s incident just tipped the scale.

Systemic Racism

Some statistics show large numbers of police officers charged with murders or man slaughters where less than half of them are convicted or result in conviction of criminal cases. There are clear signs of difficulty in prosecuting American officers due to union protection, different legal standards, and implicit bias. There is also a clear case of systemic racism unavoidably true despite today's age.

According to Benjamin Crump,  the attorney representing both families of Floyd and Wright who was interviewed by the Guardian, “We must remember, not so long ago they weren’t charging any police officer for killing a Black person. So, we’re making progress in America. Are we at a point where we can say it is equality? Oh, we’re a long way from that.”

Both families of George and Floyd will have to wait and see how the court will avail them justice.

Written by - Sreya Sara Binoy

 Edited by - Akanksha Sharma 

 

 


Post a Comment

0 Comments