Former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter will be charged with second-degree manslaughter in the shooting of resident Daunte Wright.
Washington County Attorney Pete Orput announced on Wednesday that his office would charge Potter. Second-degree manslaughter carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison and a $20,000 fine in Minnesota.
Officers pulled Wright over during a traffic stop on Sunday, and attempted to detain him upon learning of a warrant for his arrest. Potter allegedly attempted to subdue Wright during the arrest with a Taser, but shot him with her handgun by mistake.
Potter and Police Chief Tim Gannon resigned from the force on Tuesday.
“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,” Potter wrote a resignation letter to city officials.
The shooting occurred during the trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis officer charged with killing African-American resident George Floyd during his arrest in May 2020. Video of the incident sparked massive riots in Minneapolis as well as protests and riots across the U.S.
Rioters have clashed with police outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department for three nights in a row. Looters have targeted various shops, some of which were targeted during last year’s riots as well.