Monday, April 12, 2021
The death of a black man in Minnesota
It is reported that an American policewoman misused the gun with a stun gun
The murder of George Floyd sparked violent protests against racism and police violence in the United States. Now another black man is dying from a police bullet in the same state. The sheriff offers an initial explanation – so it must be a tragic omission.
In the fatal shooting of a young African-American woman near Minneapolis, it appears that an American policewoman accidentally fired her pistol instead of a stun gun. Brooklyn Center, Minnesota City Police released video camera footage of the attempt to arrest 20-year-old Don Wright. You can hear the policewoman call out “Taser” several times, but then shoot with her service weapon.
“The officer pulled her pistol instead of stun it,” Police Chief Tim Janon said of the incident on Sunday. “It was fired by mistake resulting in the tragic death of Mr. Wright.” The policewoman was initially on vacation.
Police arrested Wright on Sunday for an alleged traffic violation. Then they discovered that there was an arrest warrant for the 20-year-old. Camera footage shows Officer Wright’s body pulling himself out as officers attempt to cuff his hands and jump back into his car.
During the stampede, the policewoman twice threatened the young man with an electric pistol, but held her pistol in her hand. Then she called “Taser” several times – and fired a bullet. When Wright drives the seriously injured man anyway, the policewoman screams, “Damn him, I shot him.” Wright’s car collided with another vehicle shortly thereafter. The 20-year-old died at the site. A passenger, apparently his girlfriend, was injured.
Death provokes new protests
The incident in neighboring Minneapolis sparked immediate protests. In Brooklyn Center, hundreds of protesters marched to the local police station on Sunday. According to the authorities, protesters threw stones and other items at the police station and looted about 20 shops in the area. Police used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades.
Mayor Mike Elliott imposed a night curfew. Additionally, the National Guard was mobilized due to Floyd’s trial in nearby Minneapolis. US President Joe Biden called for calm. He described the police release of the killer as “truly tragic,” but urged patience during the investigation. At the same time, Biden stressed that “there is absolutely no justification for looting.” Peaceful protests against it are “understandable”.
Just under a year ago, Floyd’s violent death sparked nationwide protests against racism and police violence against blacks. Ex-white cop Derek Chauvin is currently on trial in Minneapolis, who pushed the 46-year-old’s knee back nine and a half minutes after his arrest on charges of counterfeiting money. According to Judge Peter Cahill, the closing arguments of the prosecution and defense should begin early next week.
Mayor: “heartbreaking and simply unbelievable”
Elliott said another black man killed by police after the death of George Floyd was “heartbreaking and unbelievable.” “This could not have happened at a worse time,” the mayor assured. America and the world looked at the local community that was still “in ruins” after Floyd’s death.
In the United States, African Americans are repeatedly subjected to sometimes deadly police violence. More recently, in Virginia, the atrocities committed by police officers against a black National Guard member while monitoring traffic caused outrage. The two officers pulled the uniformed man from his car with rifles and pepper spray and arrested him.
Governor Ralph Northam has now promised an “independent investigation”. One of the policemen was released. The accident actually happened in December, but the video recordings are now known. The African American filed a lawsuit.