Curt Bagoney/Photo Courtesy of The Recount
On Monday, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota city manager Curt Bagoney was fired from his position after calling for “due process” instead of immediate repercussions for Officer Kim Potter, the officer accused of killing Daunte Wright, the Huffington Post reports.
Wright was only 20-years-old when he was gunned down by a Brooklyn Center police officer earlier this week. We reported yesterday that Wright was pulled over for a traffic stop on Sunday, and an officer, named Potter, claimed to have mistaken her taser for her gun. After firing at Wright with her gun, the young black man succumbed to his wounds and died.
At Monday’s press conference, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon tried to explain that Potter meant to reach for her taser but ended up withdrawing her gun instead. Bagoney then chimed in to say that Potter would receive “due process,” or fair treatment in the legal system. The city manager was instantly dragged by members in the crowd who claimed that the same couldn’t be given to Wright.
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“We are standing in solidarity and calling for the firing of this officer,” one citizen replied to Bagoney. “You have talked about her having due process, although Daunte Wright did not get due process in that situation. She needs to be fired immediately to send a message that his type of behavior will not be condoned within the city of Brooklyn Center.”
Bagoney nodded along and thanked the unnamed woman.
According to the Star Tribune, the City Council wasted no time in voting in favor of firing Bagoney at an emergency meeting. He previously had control over the staffing and budgeting of Brooklyn Center police. Now, that duty will likely be handled by Mayor Mike Elliot, the city’s first black mayor.
Yesterday, Elliott tweeted in defense of protestors in his city, writing, “Some outside elements may be planning to show up to infiltrate peaceful protesters and cause mayhem. We will not allow that. We ask folks to protest peacefully, then please go home before the curfew goes into effect this evening.”
Minnesota cities St. Paul, Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis have established nightly curfews following the turmoil caused by Wright’s killing.