Protesters and police clash Monday night, chief says officer meant to use a Taser

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. – Police clashed with protesters for a second night in the Minneapolis suburb where a police officer fatally shot a Black man in a traffic stop over the weekend.

Brooklyn Center’s police chief said the officer had apparently intended to fire a Taser, not a handgun, as 20-year-old Daunte Wright struggled with fellow officers. Police Chief Tim Gannon described the shooting as “an accidental discharge.” Wright died Sunday in Brooklyn Center, a city of about 30,000 people just north of Minneapolis. His death sparked protests and unrest.

Police reported 40 arrests Monday night at the Brooklyn Center protest. The Minneapolis area was already on edge because of the trial of the police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd.

@MarkFreie is in the middle of the protests that are turning violent as police has shot off tear gas and flashbangs. pic.twitter.com/JtV5yA5Z5I

— News Talk 830 WCCO (@wccoradio) April 13, 2021