Daunte Wright: Kim Potter's house barricaded, neighbors flee as ex cop charged with second degree manslaughter
Former Brooklyn Center Police Department officer Kim Potter resigned in the wake of collective outrage against her 'accidentally' killing unarmed Black man Daunte Wright during a traffic stop. But as protests continue for the third night in a row, police officers in the Minneapolis suburb of Champlin have now erected barriers around Potter's home. This comes just a day after it was reported that Potter had fled her home, with her neighbours telling the media that the neighborhood is apprehensive about the attention Potter's act has drawn towards them.
According to reports from the New York Times, concrete barriers and fencing have been put up around Potter's home. Sharing how the community is on edge, a neighbor told Wall Street Journal, "We’re stressed, we’re nervous. I’ve been told some of the neighbors have left." The Journal reported on Tuesday that an officer at the home said Potter was not there.
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At the time, the Washington County Attorney's Office was reviewing the shooting of Wright, who was killed during a regular traffic stop on April 11 after he tried to resist arrest. Potter, a 26-year veteran on the police force and head of its police union, was put on administrative leave ahead of her resignation. Police Chief Tim Gannon also resigned on Tuesday. Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said at a news conference that the city was proceeding to fire Potter when she resigned.
According to Gannon, Potter mistakenly grabbed her gun when she was going for her taser. Body camera video shows her shouting 'Taser! Taser!' before Wright was fatally shot by her. The boy's family however believes there's no excuse for the shooting.
As reported previously by MEAWW, Potter was arrested on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, around 12:07 pm CT, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed. She had turned in her badge on Tuesday and resigned, along with Gannon.
The mugshot of Potter was shared by Hennepin County Sheriff's Office as she now bears the booking number 4035001202. According to the online jail roster, she was released from custody upon posting $100,000 bond around 5:38 pm on Wednesday. Potter is scheduled to appear in court on April 15, 2021 at 1:30 pm. Following her arrest, Potter was charged with second-degree manslaughter for shooting Wright.
If convicted, Potter can face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $20,000. According to USA Today, the charge of second-degree manslaughter can be applied in circumstances where a person is suspected to have caused a death by 'culpable negligence'. In such cases, the negligence creates an unreasonable risk and the charged person consciously takes chances leading to the death of another person. Potter had joined the force at the age of 22 and has served on the force's Negotiation Team. She was also a member of the Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA), with a 2018 report listing her as 'Casket Sergeant'.