US Officer Who Shot 'Second Floyd' Submits Resignation Letter

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] In Minnesota, USA, a police officer who shot and killed an unarmed 20-year-old Black man, and the police chief who appeared to defend the shooting as an "accidental discharge," have both submitted their resignations.

On the 13th (local time), according to CNN, Mike Elliott, mayor of the small Minnesota city of Brooklyn Center, announced that Kim Porter, the officer who shot Daunte Wright, and Tim Gannon, Porter's superior and police chief, have submitted their resignations.

Wright was stopped by police while driving near Brooklyn Center on the 11th. After being pulled over, he did not comply with orders and got back into his car. During this process, he was shot by a police officer. He drove a few blocks before crashing into another vehicle and died at the scene.

Chief Gannon, at a press conference the previous day, released footage of the incident and explained, saying, "The accidental discharge led to a tragic death." In the video, when Wright resists the officer trying to handcuff him and returns to his car, Porter approaches shouting "Taser, Taser," then says, "Damn it, I shot him."

Elliott, the city's first Black mayor, stated, "I have not yet accepted Porter's resignation." He has expressed a desire to fire Porter. Mayor Elliott said, "We are following internal procedures to ensure we take full responsibility for the actions we must take."

In Minnesota, where the death of George Floyd last year sparked nationwide anti-racism protests, another Black man has died from police gunfire, leading to protests for two consecutive days. Brooklyn Center, where the incident occurred, is only about 12 km northwest of Minneapolis, where Floyd died.

As public unrest continued, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued a curfew for three counties including Hennepin County, where Brooklyn Center is located, starting the previous night, but protesters ignored it. Protesters clashed with heavily armed police, and some looted nearby stores. Police used flashbangs and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Jeffrey Storms, attorney for the Wright family, argued, "Grabbing a handgun that has been used thousands of times is an intentional act," adding, "A handgun feels and looks different from a Taser. The trigger pressure required to fire a handgun is also different."