Minneapolis: Policewoman Who Killed Young Black Man Arrested

A policewoman who shot dead a young black man near Minneapolis has been arrested and will be charged with manslaughter, the Minnesota Criminal Affairs Bureau, which is overseeing the investigation, said on Wednesday. “Kim Potter was taken into custody at approximately 11:30 am” (local times) and “will be transferred to Hennepin County Jail for manslaughter charge […] later today, ”he said in a statement.

The 48-year-old policewoman opened fire on Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old African-American, on Sunday during an ordinary traffic stop in Brooklyn Center in the northern United States. She then claimed to have confused her service weapon with her electric Taser gun. The drama sparked three nights of demonstrations punctuated by violence. The policewoman resigned on Tuesday, as did the Brooklyn Center police chief. She now faces up to ten years in prison.

Violent demonstrations

The drama, which arose during the trial for the murder of African-American George Floyd, was followed by three nights of protests peppered with violence. Despite the establishment of a curfew and significant reinforcements, a tense face-to-face still opposed activists to the police on Tuesday evening, and 78 people were arrested. Daunte Wright’s family took note of the prosecutor’s decision on Wednesday, but criticized the policewoman’s justifications. “An officer with 26 years of experience knows the difference between a Taser and a firearm,” their lawyer, Ben Crump, wrote in a statement.


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