Brooklyn Park hunt for armed suspect in fatal shooting of Minnesota lawmaker. State Patrol asks people to not attend No Kings demonstrations with suspect at large

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will take over the prosecution of a former Brooklyn Center police officer charged with manslaughter in the killing of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop. 

asked for Ellison’s office to take over prosecution

 as it did in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer recently 

convicted of murder in the killing of George Floyd

shot and killed by officer Kimberly Potter

Potter was one of several officers attempting to arrest Wright during the stop. Officials said the veteran officer had intended to stun the man with her Taser gun to subdue him but accidentally drew her handgun instead and fired once, hitting Wright in the chest. 

While the shooting happened in Hennepin County, the case was reviewed by Washington County Attorney Pete Orput per prior agreement. Orput brought a single charge of second-degree manslaughter against Potter. 

Brooklyn Center City Council approves measure to reshape public safety

The killing of Daunte Wright

Trial date for ex-cop Kimberly Potter

Wright’s family and other supporters, however, have criticized the decision and have sought a murder charge against Potter. Her trial is expected to start Dec. 6. Court records show she’s pleading not guilty. 

It’s not clear if Ellison seek a murder charge against Potter. In a statement Friday, Ellison said gaining a conviction would not be easy. 

“I did not seek this prosecution and do not accept it lightly,” Ellison said, adding that he had confidence in how Orput and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman have handled the case. 

“We’re going to handle the case with seriousness — with all due regard for the precious life of Daunte Wright — and we’re going to seek justice and a fair trial. And let me just note for everybody, Kim Potter is presumed innocent,” Ellison 

said Friday in an interview with Jonathan Capehart

 on the online forum, Washington Post Live.

Freeman and Orput issued statements supporting Ellison’s office taking over, as did Gov. Tim Walz. The Brooklyn Center mayor also applauded the move. “I wanted to see this same level of prosecution in Daunte’s case,” Elliott said in a statement. “His family, friends and our community deserve it.”

Nekima Levy Armstrong, an attorney and advocate against police violence, said public pressure on Orput and the Governor’s office helped to get the Potter case moved to Ellison’s office.

”It is long overdue for Minnesota to have a paradigm shift with regard to how policing cases are handled. The public has been crying out for it. We’ve been taking to the streets for many, many years, demanding these changes, demanding transparency and demanding accountability,” Levy Armstrong said. 

“Now we can finally begin to see some light at the end of the tunnel with today’s decision.”

Potter’s attorney, Earl Gray, declined comment when reached by MPR News. 

MPR News Staff

Author

Brooklyn Center’s mayor asked Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office to take over the prosecution of Kimberly Potter as it did in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis cop recently convicted of murder in the killing of George Floyd.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will take over the prosecution of a former Brooklyn Center police officer charged with manslaughter in the killing of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop.

Daunte Wright killing: MN attorney general takes over ex-cop's prosecution

a courtroom sketch of Kim Potter appearing in court

Daunte Wright killing: MN attorney general takes over ex-cop's prosecution

Go Deeper.

Like this?