As the trial of Derek Chauvin over the murder of George Floyd is underway, another incident has occurred when Daunte Wright was shot and killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota this week. Vice president Kamala Harris condemned the shooting and also demanded answers for Wright’s death.
Harris spoke out on social media about the recent shooting of Wright by a police officer, who shot the 20-year-old after pulling him over for having an air freshener hanging on his rearview mirror. Harris said that Wright’s family deserve to know the truth behind the incident.
“Prayers are not enough. Daunte Wright should still be with us,” tweeted Harris. “While an investigation is underway, our nation needs justice and healing, and Daunte’s family needs to know why their child is dead — they deserve answers.”
Wright was fatally shot Sunday at Brooklyn Center. The city’s police chief identified the suspect as veteran officer Kim Potter, who meant to take out her taser but ended up fatally shooting the 20-year-old Minnesota resident. The police also released the bodycam footage at the news conference explaining the situation.
The shooting happened in the midst of the trial of Chauvin for the murder of Floyd. Floyd’s death sparked Black Lives Matter protests all over the country. While most of the protests were peaceful, there have been times when the protests resorted to violence and looting.
This week also marks Black Maternal Health Week and Harris led a discussion Tuesday about the issue of Black women being two to three times more likely to die from childbirth. Harris also cited that Native American women are more likely to suffer pregnancy-related issues than white women. Prior to the discussion, the Biden administration announced that it was taking steps to address the maternal mortality rates in the US that are among the highest in developed countries.
Harris, the first Black and Asian American woman to become the country’s vice president, shared that she has heard stories from women whose complaints about pain or postpartum depression were often dismissed. Harris noted that systemic inequities and bias and said that the consequences from this occur.
“Black women deserve to be heard. Their voices deserve to be respected. And like all people, they must be treated with dignity,” said Harris.