Minnesota AG Keith Ellison statement after Kim Potter found guilty in death of Daunte Wright

Watch Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's statement after former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter was guilty found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright.

Attorney General Ellison’s office to lead prosecution in death of Daunte Wright

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that he has accepted a request to lead the prosecution against former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter, who is currently charged with second-degree manslaughter in the April 11, 2021 Brooklyn Center death of Daunte Wright. The request comes from Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman after the Washington County Attorney’s Office, who charged Ms. Potter, returned the case to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank, who is the manager of the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Office and was a presenting attorney in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, will supervise the case. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office will provide staff to the Attorney General’s prosecution team. Attorney General Ellison, who led the prosecution of Mr. Chauvin, will actively assist. The first step, reviewing the evidence and charges laid against Ms. Potter, is already underway.

Attorney General Ellison released the following statement:

Daunte Wright was a son, a brother, a father, a friend. When he died, he was only 20 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him.

Daunte Wright’s death was a tragedy. He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did. His parents, brothers, sisters, and friends must now live the rest of their lives without him. His son, only two years old, will grow up without his father. I have privately expressed my condolences and sorrow to the family and expect to work with them closely throughout the proceedings.

The community of Brooklyn Center and people across Minnesota also continue to grieve Daunte’s death. I join them in that grieving. His death is a loss to all of us.

I did not seek this prosecution and do not accept it lightly. I have had, and continue to have, confidence in how both County Attorney Orput and County Attorney Freeman have handled this case to date. I thank County Attorney Orput for the solid work he and his office have done, and I thank County Attorney Freeman once again for his confidence in my office. I appreciate their partnership as my office takes the lead on this case.

Prosecutors are ministers of justice. This means we must and will follow justice wherever it leads. I promise the Wright family and all Minnesotans that I will handle this prosecution responsibly and consistent with the law, and that I will be guided by the values of accountability and transparency.

No one, however, should expect this case will be easy to prosecute. History shows that this case, like all cases of officer-involved deaths by deadly force, will be difficult.

We are not destined to repeat history. Once again, we in Minnesota find ourselves at a moment where a deadly-force encounter with police has galvanized our grief and focused our attention. If prosecutors ensure that prosecutions are vigorous and swift, if legislators at every level pass long-overdue reforms, if police leadership demonstrates misconduct has no place in the profession, and if community continues to keep up the cry for justice, we will break the cycle of history and establish a new standard for justice.

NAACP PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT ON RECKLESS KILLING OF DAUNTE WRIGHT

NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, released the following statement in response to the reckless killing of Daunte Wright:

“Daunte Wright was shot and killed yesterday, just north of where George Floyd was suffocated less than a year ago. Both were fathers, both were Black men, both died at the hands of police. Whether it be carelessness and negligence, or a blatant modern-day lynching, the result is the same. Another Black man has died at the hands of police.”

VP Kamala Harris statement on shooting of Daunte Wright

During a roundtable on Black maternal health, Vice President Kamala Harris makes a statement about the death of Daunte Wright in Minnesota. Harris stated that Wright should be alive today. Watch her full statement below.

NY Yankees star Aaron Hicks to sit out baseball game due to the shooting of Daunte Wright

Aaron Hicks approached manager Aaron Boone on Monday afternoon, and told him that he didn’t want to play on Monday night in the New York Yankees’ game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hicks, who was set to bat sixth in the lineup in Florida, made the decision to sit out in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright in Minnesota on Sunday.

“I would say that Aaron is hurting in a huge way,” Boone said via SNY. “I think in a way felt like it was probably the responsible thing to take himself out and knowing that it was going to be hard for him to be all in mentally in what’s a high stake, difficult job to go out there and perform for the New York Yankees.”

Though the Yankees may miss him Monday night, Boone said he wasn’t bothered by Hicks’ decision.

“I don’t really even give two thoughts to that,” Boone said, via SNY. “My consideration is with Aaron and his well being and making sure as best we can we support him and try to be there as best we can for him right now. This is something in the immediate that’s real emotion that he’s feeling, and right now I’m going to support that.”

NBA postpones Nets-Timberwolves game due to the shooting of Daunte Wright

The NBA released the following statement on the postponement of the Nets-Timberwolves game due to the shooting of Daunte Wright:

The National Basketball Association announced today that in light of the tragic events in the Minneapolis area yesterday, tonight’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center has been postponed. The decision to postpone was made by the NBA after consultation with the Timberwolves organization and local and state officials.

Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Daunte Wright during this difficult time.

The Timberwolves and the minnesota Lynx also released a statement on the shooting of Daunte Wright:

pic.twitter.com/zJMX8kh9rt

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 12, 2021