Dear editor;
I turned on the news tonight, with more live coverage from the state of Minnesota. The community outrage, the tear gas, flash bangs, a police line, the curfew are not surprising. My reaction was, “this is a war zone!”
What is shocking is what I heard as I worked early today. That the police officer who shot the young, 20 year old Black man, Dante Wright, who died as a result of this gunshot wound last night, had committed an “accidental shooting.” Further, the police chief, when asked (not volunteered) whether the officer had been fired, he said she was a 26 year veteran and was on administrative leave. My thought at that moment was, “Have you ever heard of manslaughter?!”
Here this is, just a short distance away from the Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd currently underway, with volumes of expert witness testimony factually stating the training these officers receive and what they should do, and the neighbouring community’s Police Chief appeared blind to these facts. Instead, he’d rather believe that this experienced officer, identified today, after two and a half decades on the job in this community, hadn’t been aware she had a gun in her hand and not a taser.
The body camera video showed her pointing her firearm at the victim in his car and I wondered as quite some time passed, certainly a couple of minutes, “Do you not see the gun in your hands? The camera does.” After the shot was fired, the video allowed us to hear her exclaim, “Holy S***, I shot him.”
Her shock clearly indicated that was not her intention. However, it is also clear she was aware a gun had been fired and that she had fired it. Additional, I noticed she used the word “shot” rather than “fired,” as I thought to fire is used in reference to a taser whereas to shoot is used in reference to a gun.
To me, this screamed a charge of second degree manslaughter should be laid. That would have gone a long way to ease the tension and keep the peace. The officer would receive her day in court, under calmer conditions, and had the opportunity to state her position. Instead, this Police Chief decided to take a more defensive approach of denial, presenting a demeanour of disinterest and detachment toward the victim and made defensive statements regarding the officer’s alleged accident. He stated this matter had been deemed an accidental shooting in fewer than 24 hours following the incident. Stun me stupid!
Upon seeing tonight’s protests as described above, I looked up Minnesota State law to verify my suspicions.
2020 Minnesota Statutes, 609.205 MANSLAUGHTER IN THE SECOND DEGREE. A person who causes the death of another by any of the following means is guilty of manslaughter in the second degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both: by the person’s culpable negligence whereby the person creates an unreasonable risk, and consciously takes chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another.
I see this as an individual whose own alleged story is that she was negligent in not recognizing the difference between her gun and her taser and therefore created an unreasonable risk. This is malpractice, in relation to a doctor’s mistake when using the incorrect tool for the procedure.
And simply put, what on earth about an expired licence plate warrants the need to expire one’s life?! That is why the police say they pulled Mr. Wright over.
Yesterday, I had been thinking longingly about going to Minnesota to watch the Blue Jays play the Twins. Minneapolis is a mere six hours drive away. Today, that is far too close. My personal protest boycott of the U.S.A., started when Trump became president, will continue.
What touched me during the broadcast tonight was Sara Sidner’s speaking with two young Black men protesters, who had moved away from the area where the gas was being thrown. They were wearing face masks, they were articulate, calm and said they left as they wanted “no part of that.” They went on to say “this has to stop,” to which I fully agree. They emotionally expressed how it hasn’t been a year yet since George Floyd was killed, now Daunte Wright, at the hands of police and the one said how scared he is, because he is a Black man in Minneapolis.
My heart went out to those two young men, maybe in their early 20s, who are out for change because they live in fear. There is no “land of the free” when its citizens live in fear.
Holly Angus
