Ex-Officer Who Shot Daunte Wright Found Guilty of Manslaughter

On Thursday, Kim Potter was found guilty of first and second-degree manslaughter in connection to Wright's death this past April. According to the New York Times, Potter potentially faces seven to fifteen years in prison, though Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison — who also helped convict Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd — indicated his team will ask Judge Regina Chu for a longer-than-average term.

Related | Cardi B Calls Out Lawmaker for Focusing on 'WAP' Instead of Police Brutality

“Justice would be restoring Daunte to life and making the Wright family whole again,” Ellison told reporters following the conviction. “Justice is beyond the reach that we have in this life for Daunte. But accountability is an important step, a critical necessary step on the road to justice for us all.”

Wright was a 20-year-old Black man who was on his way to a car wash when he was pulled over by Brooklyn Center officers. During the traffic stop, the officers found out that Wright had an outstanding warrant and attempted to arrest him. Wright was then shot by Potter while getting back into his car and was later pronounced dead at the scene after he tried to drive off and crashed into another vehicle. Throughout the trial, Potter has maintained that she confused her gun for her taser, though many have wondered why the situation didn't just end with a traffic citation.

After the shooting, both Potter and Brooklyn Center police chief Tim Gannon resigned from their posts. Potter was arrested a day later, but has been free on a $100,000 since then. Following her sentencing, Chu ordered that Potter be taken into custody and held without bail pending sentencing on Feb. 18.

Read the New York Times' full report here.

Photo via Getty / Stephen Maturen