DURING her trial, Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter described the events surrounding the shooting death of Daunte Wright, and their "chaotic" confrontation captured on video.
In her testimony, the former Brooklyn Center officer claimed to have mistakenly used a gun instead of a Taser.
An emotional Kim Potter said: "We were struggling. We were trying to keep him from driving away. It just went chaotic."
She also described the expression on another officer’s face as a “look of fear” when trying to keep the 20-year-old from driving away.
Potter was charged with first and second-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, which escalated to an arrest.
Bodycam footage of the incident revealed that Potter yelled "taser!" repeatedly before shooting Wright.
The 49-year-old former Minneapolis officer testified that she never deployed her taser in her 26-year career and that she mistook her gun for a taser.
Potter also described how there was a struggle between her fellow officers, Sgt. Mychal Johnson, officer trainee Anthony Luckey,and Wright, prior to the shooting.
Wright was reportedly stopped after Luckey noticed an expired registration and an air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror.
Potter was arrested three days after the shooting in April 2021 and released on $100k bond.
Read our Kim Potter live blog for the very latest news and updates…
- H. J. Hayes
Potter's resignation letter
Speaking on Monday, April 12, 2021, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said Potter had intended to use a Taser – not a handgun – and described the shooting as an "accidental discharge".
In a statement on April 13, Potter said: "I am tendering my resignation from the Brooklyn Center Police Department effective immediately.
"I have loved every minute of being a police officer and serving this community to the best of my ability, but I believe it is in the interest of the community, the department, and my fellow officers if I resign immediately."
- H. J. Hayes
Does Kim Potter have children?
According to the Star Tribune, Potter is married and has two adult sons, however, no information is known of her son's age or their names.
The former cop is also married to Jeffrey Potter, who was also a police officer who served in the Fridley Police Department in Minnesota for 28 years until his retirement in 2017.
The family reportedly lives in a different Minneapolis suburb.
However, Potter's residence is now surrounded by concrete barriers and metal fencing due to the controversy surrounding her arrest.
- H. J. Hayes
What does the newly released footage show? continued
In the second, newly released video, Potter appears to be hyperventilating as she said, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.”
Police Officer Anthony Luckey can be heard saying, “Just breathe,” to which Potter responded, “I’m going to prison.”
Luckey said, “No, you’re not.”
Her partner, Sgt. Mychal Johnson said, “Kim, that guy was trying to take off with me in the car!”
- H. J. Hayes
What does the newly released footage show?
Never before seen footage was shown on the first day of the Kimberly Wright trial on December 9.
The footage shows an allegedly distressed Kimberly Potter collapsing to the ground after she fatally shot and killed Daunte Wright.
In one video, Potter is heard saying, “Oh, s***. I shot him. I grabbed the wrong f****** gun.”
- Danielle Cinone
Kim Potter cries during trial
Officer Kim Potter broke down in tears on the stand as she recalled the moment Daunte Wright told her “you shot me” at a traffic stop near Minneapolis.
The former Brooklyn Center officer claimed to have mistakenly used a gun instead of a Taser when she fatally shot Wright in April and described the “look of fear” on another officer’s face when trying to keep the 20-year-old from driving away.
“We were struggling. We were trying to keep him from driving away,” Potter said. “It just went chaotic.”
Potter emotionally added: “I remember yelling, ‘Taser, Taser, Taser’ and nothing happened. And then he told me I shot him.”
Potter, 49, was charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting Wright on April 11.
- Danielle Cinone
What did Potter say in her resignation letter?
Speaking on Monday, April 12, 2021, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said Potter had intended to use a Taser – not a handgun – and described the shooting as an “accidental discharge”.
In a statement on April 13, Potter said: “I am tendering my resignation from the Brooklyn Center Police Department effective immediately.
“I have loved every minute of being a police officer and serving this community to the best of my ability, but I believe it is in the interest of the community, the department, and my fellow officers if I resign immediately.”
Wright’s parents have refused to accept that their son was killed by “mistake”.
“I lost my son, he’s never coming back,” Wright’s dad, Aubrey Wright, told ABC News.
“I can’t accept that – a mistake, that doesn’t even sound right.
“This officer has been on the force for 26 years. I can’t accept that.”
- Danielle Cinone
Does Kim Potter have kids?
According to the Star Tribune, Potter is married and has two adult sons, however, no information is known of her son’s age or their names.
The former cop is also married to Jeffrey Potter, who was also a police officer who served in the Fridley Police Department in Minnesota for 28 years until his retirement in 2017.
The family reportedly lives in a different Minneapolis suburb.
However, Potter‘s residence is now surrounded by concrete barriers and metal fencing due to the controversy surrounding her arrest.
- Danielle Cinone
How long could Kim Potter face in prison?
The charges of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter against ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Kim Potter carry a maximum of 10 and 15 years respectively.
Potter was arrested and charged for fatally shooting Wright in April.
- Danielle Cinone
Is Kim Potter out on bail?
After being arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge, ex-police officer Kim Potter was released on bail on April 14, 2021.
The Minnesota cop was released from Hennepin County jail after posting a $100,000 bond, according to jail records.
She was taken into custody and charged that same morning.
Imran Ali, Washington County assistant criminal division chief, said that Potter “abrogated her responsibility to protect the public when she used her firearm rather than her Taser.”
Ali added that the former officer “must be held accountable.”
- Danielle Cinone
‘The worst day of my life’
Daunte Wright’s mother, Katie Wright, called April 11, 2021, the day her son was shot dead, the “worst day of my life” during a press conference two days later.
The grieving mother described the phone call she received as he was pulled over and how after he was shot, the woman who was in the passenger seat video-called her.
Answering that call, Katie Wright said she saw her son laying lifeless in the driver’s seat.
“I never imagined this was what was going to happen. I just thought that he was getting arrested,” Wright said.
- Danielle Cinone
Was Kim Potter fired after the shooting?
Just two days after the shooting, Kim Potter resigned from her position on April 13, 2021.
Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said Police Chief Tim Gannon also resigned from his position.
- Danielle Cinone
When did Kim Potter’s trial begin?
Opening statements in the trial of Kimberly Potter began on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 in the same courtroom where ex-cop Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, according to CNN.
Potter has pleaded not guilty and faces a decade in prison at the minimum if convicted.
- Danielle Cinone
Who is Kim Potter?
The Brooklyn Center Police officer who allegedly shot Daunte Wright while trying to use a taser was identified as Kimberly Potter, a 26-year veteran of the force.
Potter, 49, was placed on administrative duty following the shooting.
On April 13, 2021, Potter resigned from her position – two days after the shooting.
She had served as a police officer for 26 years.
- Danielle Cinone
Katie Bryant’s testimony, continued
She said she arrived shortly after and saw her son was covered by a white sheet but recognized him because of his tennis shoes.
“I wanted to comfort my baby,” she said to the courtroom.
“I wanted to hold him. I wanted to protect him, because that’s what mothers do.”
- Danielle Cinone
Katie Bryant’s testimony
Daunte Wright‘s mother, Katie Bryant, testified that she was on a video call and claims she saw her lifeless son’s body in the driver’s seat.
Bryant said she was on the phone with her son when they lost connection and when she called back, the woman in the passenger’s seat answered and yelled, “They shot him!” before turning the phone toward Wright.
“And my son was laying there,” Bryant said. “He was unresponsive and he looked dead.”
- Danielle Cinone
What does the newly released footage show? continued
In the second, newly released video, Potter appears to be hyperventilating as she said, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.”
Police Officer Anthony Luckey can be heard saying, “Just breathe,” to which Potter responded, “I’m going to prison.”
Luckey said, “No, you’re not.”
Her partner, Sgt. Mychal Johnson said, “Kim, that guy was trying to take off with me in the car!”
- Danielle Cinone
What does the newly released footage show?
Never before seen footage was shown on the first day of the Kimberly Wright trial on December 9.
The footage shows an allegedly distressed Kimberly Potter collapsing to the ground after she fatally shot and killed Daunte Wright.
In one video, Potter is heard saying, “Oh, s***. I shot him. I grabbed the wrong f****** gun.”
- Danielle Cinone
What did Daunte Wright’s mother say? continued
She told reporters, “All he did was have air fresheners in the car and they told him to get out of the car.”
“He got out of the car and his girlfriend said they shot him.”
“He got back in the car and drove away and crashed and now he was dead on the ground since 1.47.”
“Nobody will tell us anything and nobody will talk to her.”
“I asked them to please take my son off the ground — he’s been there since 1.47 this afternoon.”
- Danielle Cinone
What did Daunte Wright’s mother say?
Not long after Daunte Wright was killed, his mother, Katie Bryant, told a crowd he called her to say he had been pulled over by police because of an air freshener that was dangling from his rearview mirror.
She said she heard officers tell her son to put his phone down, and then one of the officers ended the call.
Soon after, her son’s girlfriend told her he had been shot.
- Danielle Cinone
Shooting happened just miles from George Floyd killing
Daunte Wright was shot just ten miles from where George Floyd was killed last summer, leading to an outpouring of anger from the community.
Floyd’s killing sparked months of protests in the United States against racism and police brutality and attracted international outrage.
- Danielle Cinone
Why was Daunte Wright pulled over?
Wright was reportedly stopped after officer Anthony Luckey noticed an expired registration and an air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror.
There was an alleged struggle between several officers and Wright before Kim Potter shot him.
- Danielle Cinone
When did Potter join the Minneapolis police force?
Kim Potter joined the police force in Minnesota in 1995 at the age of 22.
She also reportedly served on the negotiation team during her tenure at the department.
- Danielle Cinone
What did Kim Potter say during her trial?
On Friday, Potter testified for the first time during her trial.
During her trial, she tearfully stated: "He [Mr. Johnson] had a look of fear on his face. It's something I've never seen before. It just went chaotic. I remember yelling 'Taser, Taser, Taser', and nothing happened. Then he told me I shot him".
She went on to say that largely lost her memory of what happened in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
- Danielle Cinone
CONTINUED: How did Kim Potter shoot Daunte Wright?
Wright’s sobbing mother Katie told a crowd how her son called her to say he had been pulled over by police because of an air freshener on his rearview mirror.
She said she heard officers tell her son to put his phone down, and then the call ended.
Soon after, her son's girlfriend told her he had been shot.
She told reporters: "All he did was have air fresheners in the car and they told him to get out of the car.
"He got out of the car and his girlfriend said they shot him."
- Danielle Cinone
How did Kim Potter shoot Daunte Wright?
Potter's bodycam footage revealed the moment Wright was killed during a routine traffic stop.
According to a statement from the Brooklyn Center Police Department, Wright was pulled over for a traffic violation.
Officers tried to take him into custody when they discovered he had an outstanding warrant.
As he got back into his car, one of the officers shot him dead.
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