Ex-officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright to face trial in December

A Minneapolis judge ruled on Monday that the trial of the former Brooklyn Center, Minn., police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright can proceed.

Hennepin County Judge Regina M. Chu said during a virtual omnibus hearing that she identified probable cause to uphold the charges against Kim Potter, who was captured on body camera footage last month shooting Wright during a traffic stop, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

Chu set the tentative trial date for Dec. 6.

Potter, 48, was charged with second-degree manslaughter last month, after fatally shooting 20-year-old Wright.

She resigned from the Brooklyn Center police department two days after the shooting, concluding her 26 years as a police officer.

Thomas Gannon, the former Brooklyn Center police chief who also resigned after Wright’s death, said it appeared that Potter, who is white, meant to deploy a Taser on Wright, who is Black, but mistakenly pulled her handgun instead.

Potter made her first court appearance last month, one day after she posted bond and was released from jail.

She faces up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $20,000 if convicted.

Wright was shot just over one week after a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of three criminal charges in the death of George Floyd.

Chauvin was captured on video footage last May kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Floyd was later brought to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Chauvin’s trial took place 10 miles away from the scene of Wright’s death.