#DaunteWright
20-year-old Black man killed by police officer during traffic stop in Minnesota, reigniting protests.
Quick Facts
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | April 11, 2021 |
| Location | Brooklyn Center, Minnesota |
| Officer | Kim Potter (convicted manslaughter) |
| Context | During Derek Chauvin trial |
Origin & Impact
Daunte Wright was shot and killed by police officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Potter claimed she mistook her gun for a taser—a defense that sparked outrage about training and accountability standards for law enforcement.
The killing occurred just miles from George Floyd’s murder site and during Derek Chauvin’s trial, reigniting Black Lives Matter protests and demonstrating that police violence hadn’t stopped despite national attention. Nightly protests erupted in Minneapolis suburbs as communities demanded justice.
Officer Potter was convicted of first and second-degree manslaughter in December 2021 and sentenced to two years. The case highlighted ongoing issues with police traffic stops, the “excited delirium” defense, and whether individual prosecutions address systemic problems in policing.
Related Hashtags
#BlackLivesMatter #PoliceReform #Minneapolis #SayHisName #Justice