Washington County Attorney Pete Orput announced Wednesday that the police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center will be charged with second degree manslaughter.
Kimberly Potter resigned from her post Tuesday after she shot and killed Wright during a struggle Sunday. She worked as a police officer for 26 years.
“Details about the charge that Potter, 48, will face will be released later by the Hennepin County Attorney’s office, Orput said,” Twin Cities Pioneer Press reported. “The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.”
Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon also resigned Tuesday.
The shooting is being described as accidental, and Gannon said in a press conference Monday that Potter meant to tase Wright. Body camera footage of the incident appears to confirm that statement.
“I’ll tase you! I’ll tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!” Potter can be heard yelling at Wright, who was attempting to flee the scene as police tried to take him into custody over an outstanding warrant.
“Holy s–t! I shot him!” Potter said after shooting Wright.
Under Minnesota law, second degree manslaughter is defined “by the person’s culpable negligence whereby the person creates an unreasonable risk, and consciously takes chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another.”
Unlike a murder charge, there is no element of intent in the second degree manslaughter charge.
Despite initial rumors that Wright was pulled over for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror, claims that were promulgated by far-left blogs like The Daily Beast, Wright was actually pulled over for his license plate tags being expired, a much more common occurrence.
Wright’s death has prompted violent riots in Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis. The suburb is only 20 miles outside of Minneapolis, which is already on edge as the trial of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin proceeds.
Chauvin is accused of second and third degree murder, among other charges, in the 2020 death of George Floyd.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Minnesota Sun and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
