US Justice
Family of slain Daunte Wright receives millions in payment
Daunte Wright’s family and friends attend a memorial service in Minneapolis (stock image). The 20-year-old was shot dead in April 2021 north of the metropolis during a police operation. Photo: Christian Monterrosa/AP/dpa
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20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot dead by a white police officer. The African American family and the US authorities are now agreeing on a million-dollar comparison.
After the killing of African-American Daunte Wright by a police officer, his family and the US city of Brooklyn Center agreed on a settlement payment of $3.25 million (around €3.1 million).
However, the agreement is only perfect if there is also an agreement on significant and significant services beyond the financial one, the lawyers for Wright’s family said on Tuesday (local time), according to US media. It is expected that the city in the state of Minnesota will agree to provide its police forces with additional training, for example in de-escalation, dealing with underlying prejudices or behavior in mental crises. A permanent memorial to Wright should also be set up.
20-year-old Wright was shot and killed by white officer Kim Potter during a police operation north of Minneapolis in April 2021. He was stopped for a traffic check because of abnormalities in his car. It turned out that he had a warrant out for his arrest for a gun offense, he tried to drive away and Potter shot him.
In later court proceedings, she stated that she had mistakenly drawn her pistol instead of a taser. Potter was sentenced to 16 months in prison and an additional eight months of supervised parole in late 2021 for manslaughter. The court followed the argument that it was a tragic mistake. Wright’s relatives had demanded a much harsher sentence.
Wright died just a few miles from the Minneapolis courtroom where the trial of the brutal death of black man George Floyd was taking place. Floyd was also killed in a police operation.