Brooklyn Center, Minn. officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright meant to fire Taser, police chief says

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has enacted a curfew in the Twin Cities metro counties Monday night after a Brooklyn Center police officer fatally shot a 20-year-old Black man during a traffic stop, fueling an evening of protests and unrest.

Walz joined Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and law enforcement officials to announce a state of emergency and a curfew in Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka counties, which will go from 7 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday. Certain essential workers will be exempt from the curfew.

The announcement comes hours after Brooklyn Center's police chief released body camera footage of the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, and while the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin in nearby Minneapolis begins its third week.

Police Chief Tim Gannon on Monday said that he believes the officer who shot Wright during the traffic stop accidentally discharged her firearm. He said he believes the officer, who's now on administrative leave, meant to fire a Taser.

Officers conducted a traffic stop before 2 p.m. Sunday due to expired tags, according to Gannon. During the stop, officers obtained Wright's ID and discovered an outstanding warrant. They then attempted to take him into custody. At some point Wright got back into his car, and one of the officers fired their gun and struck him, law enforcement officials said.

According to a press release from the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the vehicle then traveled "several blocks" before colliding with another vehicle.

In the body camera footage, an officer can be heard immediately telling the other officers at the scene, "I just shot him."

Full story: https://www.weareiowa.com/arti....cle/news/local/brook

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