Minnesota police say an officer-involved shooting that killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop was an “accidental discharge.”
Wright, 20, was shot by a female officer who mistook her service weapon for a taser.
Wright was shot during a traffic stop on Sunday, April 11. He got back into his vehicle then crashed the car several blocks away. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators reviewed the body cam video of the “senior officer” who fired her weapon instead of a taser.
The video footage shows three officers stopping the car. A background check revealed an outstanding warrant. A struggle ensued when an officer attempted to handcuff Wright.
The officer is heard shouting “Taser!” several times before firing her weapon.
“This was an accidental discharge that resulted in a tragic death of Mr. Wright,” said Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Police Chief Tim Gannon.
Wright’s death sparked protests and riots at the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Sunday.
Brooklyn Center is located on the northwest border of Minneapolis, where the trial for the first officer involved in George Floyd’s death is underway.
The State Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating Wright’s shooting.
