Former President Barack Obama said the police shooting of Daunte Wright is evidence that the United States should “reimagine policing.”
“Our hearts are heavy over yet another shooting of a Black man, Daunte Wright, at the hands of police,” the Democrat wrote in a Tuesday tweet. “The fact that this could happen even as the city of Minneapolis is going through the heart-wrenching murder of George Floyd indicates not just how important it is to conduct a full and transparent investigation, but also just how badly we need to reimagine policing and public safety in this country.”
Obama added that both he and former first lady Michelle Obama “grieve” for the Wright family in the midst of “historical inequities.”
“Michelle and I grieve alongside the Wright family for their loss. We empathize with the pain that Black mothers, fathers, and children are feeling after yet another senseless tragedy,” he said. “And we will continue to work with all fair-minded Americans to confront historical inequities and bring about nationwide changes that are so long overdue.”
DOZENS ARRESTED AFTER RIOTS BREAK OUT IN SECOND NIGHT OF UNREST IN MINNEAPOLIS SUBURB
Our hearts are heavy over yet another shooting of a Black man, Daunte Wright, at the hands of police. It’s important to conduct a full and transparent investigation, but this is also a reminder of just how badly we need to reimagine policing and public safety in this country. pic.twitter.com/sgcbRjlApr
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 13, 2021
Wright, 20, was shot by officer Kimberly Potter, a 26-year veteran of the department, in what has been called an accidental incident after she drew her firearm instead of her Taser on Sunday. Body camera footage showed the struggle in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, between officers and Wright, and as he tried to flee in his car, Potter can be heard yelling, “Taser! Taser!”, before striking him once with gunfire.
“Holy s—. I shot him,” Potter can be heard saying.
The Hennepin County medical examiner released its autopsy report Monday, which said that Wright, who crashed into another car several blocks away, “died of a gunshot wound of the chest and manner of death is homicide.”
Obama’s remarks follow similar words from Vice President Kamala Harris who said that “prayers are not enough” in a tweet calling for “answers” for the Wright family.
“Prayers are not enough,” she wrote. “Daunte Wright should still be with us. While an investigation is underway, our nation needs justice and healing, and Daunte’s family needs to know why their child is dead — they deserve answers.”
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Riot activity has gripped Brooklyn Center in the wake of Wright’s death as 40 people were arrested on Monday night after demonstrators ransacked businesses, defied curfew orders, and attacked law enforcement. Similar events have unfolded in some of the nation’s largest cities, including Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
