Minneapolis: Daunte Wright shooting by police 'accidental'
2021-04-12 21:20:50
Fatally wounded, Mr Wright crashed a few blocks away.
"It is my belief the officer meant to deploy their Taser but shot him with a single bullet," Chief Gannon said, adding "there's nothing I can say to lessen the pain".
The officer has been placed on administrative leave.
At the same news conference, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said he would do everything in his power to "ensure justice is done for Daunte Wright".
"Our hearts are aching right now, we are in pain right now. We recognise this couldn't have happened at a worse time. This is happening at a time that all of our community, all of America, indeed all of the world is watching," he said.
Protests and overnight curfew
Angry protests erupted in Brooklyn Center on Sunday night as news of Mr Wright's death spread.
Hundreds of protesters chanting his name gathered late outside the police headquarters.
Tensions rose as police donned riot gear, and two police vehicles were pelted with stones and jumped on, Reuters news agency reported.
Protesters wrote with chalk on pavements and lit candles, but police later ordered the protesters to disperse, with footage showing tear gas and stun grenades being fired by officers.
About 20 businesses in a nearby shopping centre were later broken into, the StarTribune reported, with sporadic looting spreading to parts of Minneapolis.
An overnight curfew was enforced in Brooklyn Center.
Members of the Minnesota National Guard, already deployed for the trial on murder charges of Derek Chauvin, were sent to Brooklyn Center.
Some remained on the streets after the curfew ended, but by that time the crowds had mainly dispersed.
Brooklyn Center has closed all school buildings, programmes and activities for Monday, local media report.