Unarmed man fatally shot by Minnesota Police

A family and community is demanding answers after an unarmed Black man was fatally shot by police.

20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot and killed by Brooklyn Center, Minnesota police during a minor traffic stop.

Authorities have since released video footage of the incident. In a statement to reporters, Brooklyn Center’s Chief Tim Gannon said the officer intended to use a Taser instead of her gun.

Daunte Wright, who was unarmed, was pulled over on Sunday for a traffic violation, but there was a struggle when he tried to get back into his car.

An officer can then be heard saying “Taser, Taser, Taser”. Wright is getting into his car and driving away, while the same officer says “I just shot him”.

Fatally wounded, Daunte Wright crashed a few blocks away.

“It is my belief the officer meant to deploy their Taser but shot him with a single bullet,” Chief Gannon said, adding “there’s nothing I can say to lessen the pain”.

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The officer has been placed on administrative leave.

At the same news conference, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said he would do everything in his power to “ensure justice is done for Daunte Wright”.

“Our hearts are aching right now, we are in pain right now. We recognize this couldn’t have happened at a worse time. This is happening at a time that all of our community, all of America, indeed all of the world is watching,” he said.

Protests have erupted and a curfew has been enforced as tensions run high since the fatal shooting.

Brooklyn Center is just 10 miles from Minneapolis, where Derek Chauvin is on trial for second- and third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.