In Minneapolis, the most populous city in the U.S state of Minnesota, a white police officer shot dead a 20-year-old African American man named Daunte Wright during a routine traffic stop on April 11th, 2021, by officer Kimberly Potter. Officer Potter threatened him with a taser but instead pulled out her pistol and fatally shot him in the chest. The officer was arrested but was released hours later after a bond of $100,000 was paid.
In August 2017, a similar incident happened in Minnesota where a black cop Muhammad Noor shot dead an unarmed female yoga instructor Justine Damond. Like almost all other American cops who shot unarmed people, his excuse was simple; he felt threatened and since it was dark, he feared for his life and the life of his partner. Officer Noor shot Justine Damond from inside his police cruiser as if he were performing a movie stunt.
Justine Damond was a yoga teacher, and on that fateful night, she was startled by the screams of a woman coming from an alley behind her Minnesota home and feared a sexual assault was taking place. She called the Minneapolis police department, and after they arrived, she was reported to have approached the police car on the driver’s side when officer Noor felt endangered and shot through the window. They later tried saving her by giving her CPR, but unfortunately, she died soon. Damond was engaged and preparing to get married a month before her life was cut short in the hands of the police. Besides killing an innocent woman, the case also had international ramifications and drew criticism from Australian officials as Miss Damond was an Australian national.
Mr. Malcolm Turnbull, the Australian prime minister, speaking of Miss Damond’s murder, said,
“This is a shocking killing. It’s inexplicable. How can a woman out in the street in her pyjamas seeking assistance from the police be shot like that? We are demanding answers on behalf of her family. It’s truly a tragic killing there in Minneapolis. Something clearly went tragically wrong. It seems inexplicable. It’s a tragic loss.”
The court convicted Officer Noor of third-degree murder and manslaughter charges. He was prisoned for 13 years.
Officer Noor Muhammad was a trailblazer who had much respect from the people as he was one of the first Somali Americans to join the Minneapolis police department. He claimed killing Justine Damond was highly unintentional. He also showed remorse in a statement by saying,
“If I knew this would happen, I would have never become a cop.”
While the two cases are unrelated though similar in that innocent, unarmed people getting killed for no reason whatsoever, the public reaction was quite different. There were no widespread protests to demand justice for Miss Damond. However, there is still hope as Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd in Minneapolis, has been prosecuted. Similarly, Officer Potter will have her day in court to answer her actions on that fateful day.
Police reforms in America need a systemic change, prosecuting police officers who shoot innocents Americans or ex-pats like Miss Justine Damon is not enough. A lot contributes to why officers shoot to kill, and a lot of it has to do with training; it’s like American police officers are never taught de-escalation tactics in their training. Minnesota has rightfully convicted officer Noor and Officer Derek Chauvin. While I am skeptical of any other State to follow Minnesota’s lead, perhaps the best support American officers can be given is to be trained right so that they can serve communities the right way. For that to happen, the right kind of politics must be adopted, and yes, a conversation about gun control needs to occur. A genuine approach to police reform must also have police safety at heart. America’s racial problems extend beyond the police departments.
Nonetheless, Minnesota seems to be taking the right steps in prosecuting killer cops.
Do you think other States need to do the same?
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Comments / 91
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Truth Matters
2021-05-06
Killer cops( what a stupid headline).
Jill Kramer
2021-05-02
Although I imagine we are on different sides of political issues, I agree with you. Now, his mother is saying this wasn't an accident, it was purposeful? Come on, she woke up that day and rehearsed, saying taser 3 times in front of the mirror. She either knew where Daunte would be that day or planned on using it on any African American she encountered? Pure ridiculousness and idiocy. The stop was legal, the cops were informed of his warrant and he was a dangerous person, period. He calls his mom completely unaware of why he's being stopped, air freshener, no tabs, oh wait, it's that pesky warrant for armed robbery. The one I posted lots of bail money on, for release. Money that wasn't earned through a traditional job.
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