DAUNTE Wright's baby was held up to see riot cops assembling in the street after his black dad was shot dead by officers in Minneapolis.

The 20-year-old victim's mum claims her son was killed by a Brooklyn Center police officer on Sunday after cops "pulled him over because he had air fresheners hanging from his rear-view mirror".



Violent protests erupted following the death of Wright, lasting into the early hours of the morning as officers in riot gear clashed with protesters.

Damik Wright, the victim's brother, was pictured holding Daunte's son, Daunte Jr, over his head to look at riot cops at 63rd Avenue North and Lee Avenue North.

The shooting happened just ten miles from where George Floyd was killed.

Wright’s sobbing mother, Katie, told a crowd her son called her to say he had been pulled over by cops because of air fresheners dangling from his rear-view mirror.

"All he did was have air fresheners in the car and they told him to get out of the car," she said.

"He called me at about 1.30pm. He said he was getting pulled over by the police. And I said 'why you getting pulled over'," she added, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

"And he said they pulled him over because he had air fresheners hanging from his rear-view mirror.

"I said, 'OK take them down'," she said, adding she could hear a scuffle and someone yelling, "Daunte, don’t run".

When she called back, her son's girlfriend answered and said he had been shot.



Katie spoke directly to the crowd of demonstrators near the shooting scene on Sunday and tried to curb any unrest.

"All the violence, if it keeps going it’s only going to be about the violence. We need it to be about why my son got shot for no reason,” she said.

"We need to make sure it’s about him and not about smashing police cars, because that’s not going to bring my son back."

Protesters who gathered near the scene waved flags and signs reading “Black Lives Matter".

"Justice for Daunte Wright" was written in multi-colored chalk on one street.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it was "investigating an officer-involved shooting incident" in Brooklyn Center but declined to identify the victim.

According to a statement from the Brooklyn Center Police Department, officers pulled over a driver for a traffic violation. 

When they discovered he had an outstanding warrant, they tried to take him into custody.

He got back into his car, and one of the officers shot him dead.


The car traveled several blocks before crashing into another vehicle, the statement said.

The account of the shooting differed from Wright’s family – his mum claimed he was shot before getting back into the car.

Cops said Brooklyn Center officers wear body-worn cameras and believe dash cameras were activated during the incident.

The department said it has asked the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate.

Protesters gathered shortly after the shooting and crash, with some jumping on top of police cars and confronting officers.

Demonstrators also descended on the Brooklyn Center police department building and rocks and other objects were thrown at officers, Minnesota Department of Public Safety commissioner John Harrington said at a news conference.

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott announced a curfew in the city which expired at 6am on Monday. 


In a tweet he said: "We want to make sure everyone is safe. Please be safe and please go home."

Meanwhile, all Brooklyn Center students will be taught online Monday because school buildings will be closed.

"We are focused on taking steps in the moment," Brooklyn Center Community Schools Superintendent Carly Baker said in a statement.

"I haven’t entirely processed the tragedy that took place in our community and I’m prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of our students, families, staff members and community members.

"We know our community experienced trauma and we need the time and space to process."

Tensions were already high in Minneapolis and the surrounding area as the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the white former officer who knelt on the neck of Floyd is set to continue into its third week today.

Prosecutors said Floyd was pinned for 9 minutes, 29 seconds.

The killing of Floyd last August sparked riots across the United States and bolstered the Black Lives Matter movement.

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