US Police Won’t Stop Killing
Do you still think this can be reformed?
On April 11, police in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright during what has been described as a “routine traffic stop.” Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said that the incident was an “accidental discharge,” stating that the officer intended to “deploy her Taser,” but instead pulled her gun and fired a single shot.
The fact is, whether this was “accidental” or not, this tragic situation exemplifies so many of the problems with our racist and oppressive police force, and the system it exists to defend.
To begin with, it is difficult to imagine any circumstance under which deadly force could be justified during a “routine traffic stop,” and the available details don’t do anything to help with such a justification. When one listens to the full story, it turns out that Wright was apparently pulled over for expired license plates, and that after pulling him over, police discovered that he had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. Body cam footage shows a scuffle that ends with Wright getting back in his car, and the officer can be heard shouting “Taser!” repeatedly before the shot is fired.
The immediate impression that jumps out from this situation is that the actions of everyone involved seem to have been based in…
