The Scotsman

Second night of Minneapoli­s protests after black man killed by police officer

- By MOHAMED IBRAHIM newsdeskts@scotsman.com

Police have clashed with protesters for a second night in a Minneapoli­s suburb where an officer shot a black man dead during a traffic stop.

Brooklyn Centre police chief Ti mg an non described the fatal shooting of 20-year-old-daunte Wright on Sunday as "an accidental discharge", saying that the officer involved apparently intended to fire a Taser, not a handgun.

The shooting sparked protests and unrest in an area of the state of Minnesota already on edge because of the trial of the first of four police officers charged over George Floyd's death.

Hundreds of protesters faced off against police in Brooklyn Centre after nightfall on Monday,hours after a dusk-to-dawn curfew was announced by the governor.

When the protesters would not disperse, police began firing gas canisters and flash grenades, sending clouds wafting over the crowd and chasing some protesters away.

A long line of police in riot gear, rhythmical­ly pushing their clubs in front of them, began slowly forcing back the remaining crowds.

Law enforcemen­t agencies had stepped up their presence across the Minneapoli­s area after violence on Sunday night.

The number of Minnesota National Guard troops was expected to more than double to 1,000-plus by Monday night.

Authoritie­s released body camera footage that showed the officer involved - named later as 26-year veteran Kim Potter - shouting at Mr Wright as police tried to arrest him.

"I'll Tase you! I'll Tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!" she can be heard saying.

She draws her weapon after them an breaks free from police outside his car and gets back behind the wheel.

After firing a single shot from her handgun, the car speeds away and the officer is heard saying: "Holy (expletive). I shot him."

Brooklyn Centre mayor Mike Elliott called the shooting" deeply tragic" and said the officer should be sacked.

He said :" we' re going to do everything we can to ensure that justice is done and our communitie­s are made whole ."

Mr Elliott later announced that the city council had voted to give his office "command authority" over the police department.

This "will streamline things and establish a chain of command and leadership ", he wrote on Twitter.

He also said the city manager had been sacked, and that the deputy city manager would take over his duties. The reason behind the firing was not immediatel­y clear, but the city manager controls the police department, according to the city's charter.

Now-former city manager

Curt Boganey, speaking earlier to reporters, declined to say whether he believed the officer should be fired, and that she would get "due process" after the shooting.

Brooklyn Centre is a modest suburb just north of minneapoli­sthat has seen its demographi­cs shift dramatical­ly in recent years. in 2000, more than 70 per cent of the city was white. today, a majority of residents are black, Asian or Latino.

Mr Elliott, the city's first black mayor was joined by Keith Ellison, the state's first Black attorney general, in addressing a group of protesters - telling the demonstrat­ors to use their voices, but remain safe.

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