Ex-US police officer charged with 2nd-degree manslaughter in Daunte Wright killing

An ex-police officer who shot and killed an African American man Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb after a traffic stop has been arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter, authorities said on Wednesday.

According to CNN, Kim Potter, who resigned as a Brooklyn Center police officer this week, is charged in Sunday's shooting death of 20-year-old Wright, Washington County Attorney Pete Orput said.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office determined Wright died of a gunshot wound and the death was a homicide. Potter was arrested late Wednesday morning by agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the bureau said. She was booked into the Hennepin County Jail, online records show.

According to the Hennepin County Sheriff's official website, Potter posted bail and was released from custody and will make her first court appearance via Zoom on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. local time.

"Agents with the BCA this morning arrested a former Brooklyn Center police officer for the April 11 shooting death of Daunte Wright. Agents took Kim Potter into custody at approximately 11:30 am at the BCA in St. Paul," the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said on Wednesday via Twitter.

"After consultation with the Washington County Attorney's Office, Potter will be booked into the Hennepin County Jail on probable cause 2nd Degree Manslaughter. The Washington County Attorney's Office will file charges later today," the agency added.

According to CNN, in Minnesota, second-degree manslaughter applies when authorities allege a person causes someone's death by "culpable negligence whereby the person creates an unreasonable risk, and consciously takes chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another."

Someone convicted of this charge would face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to USD 20,000.

"This remains an active and ongoing investigation. The BCA has been and will continue to work with the Washington County Attorney's Office as the case progresses," the agency said in another tweet.

Brooklyn Center Police Department chief Tim Gannon and Potter resigned on Tuesday following two days of street protests in Minnesota that turned into riots in the wake of Wright's death.

Wright was allegedly fatally shot by police officer Kim Potter after being stopped for having expired car registration plates. It was soon discovered that Wright had an outstanding warrant on him and an arrest was attempted.

( With inputs from ANI )