BROOKLYN CENTER, MINNESOTA — An officer was supposed to draw her taser during a traffic stop Sunday afternoon, but instead drew her firearm. That resulted in a 20-year-old man being shot and killed, and protests followed through the night.
Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon described the shooting as “an accidental discharge.” It happened as police were trying to arrest the man on an outstanding warrant.
“I’ll Tase you! I’ll Tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!” the officer is heard shouting on her body cam footage released at a news conference. She draws her weapon after the man breaks free from police outside his car and gets back behind the wheel.
After firing a single shot from her handgun, the car speeds away, and the officer is heard saying, “Holy (expletive)! I shot him.”
Daunte Wright, 20, died Sunday in a metropolitan area that was already on edge because of the trial of the first of four police officers charged in George Floyd’s death. Wright’s death sparked violent protests, with officers in riot gear clashing with demonstrators into Monday morning.
via apnews.com
Badge cam has been released that appears to show a female officer firing a single shot from her handgun, apparently mistaking it for her taser. That’s a mistake that should never happen, ever.
This is a developing story that we will be watching closely over the coming days/weeks.
