(KNSI) – A curfew for several cities and the counties of Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin and Ramsey goes into effect at 7 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday after state leaders and law enforcement officials shed more light on the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man by a Brooklyn Center police officer Sunday afternoon.
Brooklyn Center police pulled Daunte Wright over Sunday afternoon on a license plate violation, and when officers learned Wright had an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation, they attempted to take him into custody. Authorities say Wright resisted, and in police body camera footage released on Monday, an officer verbally warned Wright that she would use a Taser on him. Instead, she grabbed her firearm.
“As I watch the video and listen to the officer’s commands, it is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser, but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet,” Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said Monday.
Hundreds took to the streets Sunday night in protests and riots in response to the shooting. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said between 25 to 30 people were arrested during that unrest. Tonight, much of the metro will be under curfew to dissuade rioting and looting.
“We need to continue to make sure that all of those who wish to peacefully demonstrate and gather that they are doing that and their First Amendment rights are upheld,” Arradondo said. “But the other truth is exactly that — we cannot retraumatize our communities that have been hurt so much. So for those individuals who may think that they are going to go into our communities and cause harm, to destroy property and commit crimes: You will be held accountable, and you will be arrested.”
In addition, Operation Safety Net — the coalition of metro and state law enforcement authorities responding to the ongoing Derek Chauvin murder trial — is scaling up its law enforcement presence in the Twin Cities, with the 100 Minnesota National Guard personnel who responded to unrest Sunday night growing to 1,000 members by the end of the day Monday, according to Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, adjutant general of the state guard.
Operation Safety Net’s Phase 3 is now in effect, a change in staffing levels that was initially expected after closing arguments are made in the Chauvin trial.
A candlelight vigil for Wright in Brooklyn Center initially scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday has been rescheduled to 6 p.m. in light of the curfew announcement.
In his response to the incident, Gov. Tim Walz called upon the need for First Amendment rights to be protected while also preventing violence and harm.
“Minnesota is a place where we know that you can create space for grievances to be aired and First Amendment rights to be expressed, and you can stop people from creating crimes or doing destruction to property or to people,” Walz said.
He also called upon the Minnesota Legislature to take up hearings on law enforcement reform.
“There are things that can be done, there are proposals that are out there, there’s proven remedies that can be put into place, but that will never happen if we don’t at least hold hearings on these things,” Walz said. “If we have time to talk about other things, you can certainly find time on your calendar to put things in place that make sure we don’t have another Daunte Wright laying on the streets of Brooklyn Center or any community in this state or this country.”
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter says the community at large also has to tackle certain questions if cities or the state will make changes on police conduct.
“Objects in motion will remain in motion until some force stops it from happening,” Carter said. “So when we recognize4 this strong, horrific trend that keeps happening over and over and over again, we have to know that Daunte Wright will not be the last name, will not be the last hashtag on this list until and unless we take decisive and urgent action to ensure that he is.”
The officer who shot Wright has not been named but has since been placed on administrative leave. Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliot said during a press conference Monday that he supports that officer being fired. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension continues to investigate the incident.
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