The Scotsman

Protests after man shot in traffic stop in Minnesota crashes and dies

- By MARGARET NEIGHBOUR

Crowds of mourners and protesters have gathered in a Minnesota city where the family of a 20-year-old man say he was shot by police before getting back into his car and driving away, then crashing several streets away.

The family of Daunte Wright said he was later pronounced dead.

The death sparked protests in Brooklyn Centre into the early hours of Monday morning as Minneapoli­s was already on edge and midway through the trial of the first of four police officers over George Floyd's death.

Brooklyn Centre is a city of about 30,000 people located on the north-west border of Minneapoli­s.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz tweeted that he was praying for Mr Wright's family "as our state mourns another life of a Black man taken by law enforcemen­t".

Police did not immediatel­y identify Mr Wright or disclose his race, but some protesters who gathered near the scene waved flags and signs reading Black Lives Matter.

Others walked peace fully with their hands held up.

On one street, written in multi coloured chalk were the words: "Justice for Daunte Wright."

Brooklyn Centre police said in a statement that officers had stopped an individual shortly before 2pm on Sunday.

After determinin­g the driver had an outstandin­g warrant, police tried to arrest the driver.

The driver re-entered the vehicle and drove away.

An officer fired at the vehicle, striking the driver.

Police said the vehicle travelled several streets before striking another vehicle.

Officers said the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office will release the person's name following a preliminar­y post-mortem examinatio­n and family notificati­on.

A female passenger sustained non-life-threatenin­g injuries during the crash.

Katie Wright, Mr Wright's mother, huddled with loved ones near the scene and pleaded for her son' s body to be removed from the street, the star tribune reported.

She said her son had called her when he was getting pulled over, and she heard scuffling before the call ended.

When she called back, she said his girlfriend told her mr wright had been shot.

Carolyn hanson lives near the crash scene and told the newspaper that she saw officers pull the man out of the car and perform CPR.

Ms Hanson said a passenger who got out was covered in blood. demonstrat­ors gathered shortly after the shooting and crash, with some jumping on top of police cars and confrontin­g officers.

Marchers also descended upon the Brooklyn Centre police department building where rocks and other objects were thrown at officers, Minnesota Department of Public Safety commission­er John Harrington said at a news conference.

The pro testers had largely dispersedb­y 1.15 am on monday, he said.

Mr Harrington added that about 20 businesses had been broken into at the city's Shingle Creek shopping centre.

He said law enforcemen­t agencies were co-ordinating to ta me the unrest, and the national Guard was activated.

Brooklyn Centre mayor Mike Elliott announced a curfew in the city until 6am on Monday.

 ??  ?? 0 Protesters kneeling and raising up their arms in front of a line of police officers at the Brooklyn Center Police Station during a protest
0 Protesters kneeling and raising up their arms in front of a line of police officers at the Brooklyn Center Police Station during a protest
 ??  ?? 0 A group of police drive off in a truck after clearing the scene where Daunte Wright was shot
0 A group of police drive off in a truck after clearing the scene where Daunte Wright was shot

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