AG Ellison To Lead Prosecution In Brooklyn Center Police Killing

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will take over the prosecution in the manslaughter case against former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter. Potter, 48, is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright in April.

The charge against Potter was filed by Washington County Attorney Pete Orput. Potter's case was initially being handled by the Washington County Attorney's Office after the case was handed over from Hennepin County in order to avoid any conflict of interest.

Both Orput and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman called on Ellison to take the case.

"I did not seek this prosecution and do not accept it lightly," Ellison said in a statement Friday.

"I have had, and continue to have, confidence in how both County Attorney Orput and County Attorney Freeman have handled this case to date. I thank County Attorney Orput for the solid work he and his office have done, and I thank County Attorney Freeman once again for his confidence in my office. I appreciate their partnership as my office takes the lead on this case."

Ellison's decision to take the case comes weeks after his office's successful prosecution of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd. Chauvin, 45, was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter on April 20.

Wright's death happened during Chauvin's trial.

• Kim Potter: Five Things About The Officer Who Shot Daunte Wright

"I believe that the review and the prosecution of this case and cases like it belongs with the Attorney General, and I call on the Legislature to provide all the funding necessary so that his office can do this work," Orput said.

"I am glad that Attorney General Ellison is taking the case," said Gov. Tim Walz.

"The First Lady and I were grateful to host the Wright family at the Residence this week and have an opportunity to honor the memory of their son Daunte. We heard their desire to have the strongest legal team possible to bring their family justice. No verdict will bring Daunte back to his family, but I have full faith that Attorney General Ellison will build the best team possible to pursue accountability for what happened that tragic day."

Background on the case

Just before 2 p.m. on April 11, Brooklyn Center police officer Anthony Luckey and his field training officer, Potter, pulled over a white Buick at 63rd Avenue North and Orchard Avenue North in Brooklyn Center, according to a news release from Orput's office.

Luckey checked Wright's identification and found that he had a warrant for a gross misdemeanor weapons charge. Luckey and Potter approached the driver's side of the car and asked Wright to get out and place his hands behind his back.

Wright did so, and Luckey told him he was being arrested for his outstanding warrant, according to authorities.

While outside the car, Wright pulled away from the officers and got back into the driver's seat of his car. Luckey struggled with Wright and tried to maintain physical control of him, investigators said.

At 2:01:49 p.m., Wright pulled away from the officers and got back into the driver's seat of his car, with Officer Luckey trying to maintain physical control of Wright, according to the authorities

At 2:01:55 p.m., Potter said she would tase Wright before pulling out her Glock 9mm handgun with her right hand, authorities said. She pointed it at Wright and again said she would tase him, according to investigators.

At 2:02 p.m., Potter said "Taser, Taser, Taser," and pulled the trigger on her handgun at 2:02:01, firing one round into the left side of Wright, according to authorities.

Wright shouted "ah, he shot me," and the car sped away for a short distance before crashing into another car. An ambulance was called and Wright died at the scene, according to investigators.

Wright died of a gunshot wound and the death was ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.

After firing her gun, Potter said "expletive, I just shot him!" according to authorities.

The handgun was holstered on the right side of Potter's duty belt and her Taser was on the left side, according to authorities.

The Taser is yellow with a black grip and is set in "straight-draw position," meaning Potter would have to use her left hand to pull the Taser out of its holster, according to authorities.

Potter's resignation

Potter, who had been with the Brooklyn Center Police Department for 26 years, resigned two days after Wright's death.

"I am tendering my resignation from the Brooklyn Center Police Department effective immediately," Potter wrote.

"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 best interest of the community, the department, and my fellow officers if I resign immediately."

Asked why Potter was allowed to resign instead of being fired, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliot said "We were going through our own processes to make sure that internally we had all of the documentation in order to be able to do that."

Tony Gruenig, who has been with the department for 19 years, was appointed to replace Gannon as police chief.