Minnesota City Spent Over $9,000 to Protect the Home of the Former Officer Who Killed Daunte Wright
Earlier this month, 20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot by now ex-police officer Kim Potter in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. In the nights following his murder (which happened while a trial was underway for another onetime Minnesota police officer, Derek Chauvin, who murdered George Floyd), protestors rallied outside the city's police department demanding justice for the late father. Minnesota National Guard members and State Patrol troopers were called to the scene where they fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and other projectiles into the crowd. Arrests were also made — some nights over 100 protestors were taken into custody.
Potter, who had been a member of the Brooklyn Center Police Department for 26 years, doesn't live in that city, however: Her home is located about 15 minutes away in Champlin, Minnesota, where it received quite the security upgrade last Tuesday.
Photos shared to Twitter by Liz Sawyer, a reporter for Minneapolis's Star Tribune, showed that concrete barricades and tall metal fencing had been installed around the perimeter of Potter's home. Two police cars were also pictured guarding the driveway behind these fences, which had signs hung on them that read "Caution: Lasers in Use."
Law enforcement on Tuesday erected concrete barricades and tall metal fencing around the entire perimeter of Kim Potter’s multilevel home in Champlain. Two police cars guard the driveway behind fortified fences marked with signs reading “Caution: Lasers in Use.” pic.twitter.com/QwuHVgmSP8
— Liz Sawyer (@ByLizSawyer) April 14, 2021
Sawyer also noted that the street was lined with paper "No Parking" signs and was blocked off to non-residential traffic. She shared a screenshot of an Emergency Alert notification that Champlin residents and those passing through were receiving. "Expect protest activity in your neighborhood over the next few days," it read.
Her street is lined with paper “No Parking” signs and blocked to non-residential traffic. Motorists entering the area are greeted by a buzzing cell phone alert from local police to “expect protest activity in your neighborhood over the next few days.” pic.twitter.com/WVpQIxVja2
— Liz Sawyer (@ByLizSawyer) April 14, 2021
Ashley Wagner, a spokesperson for the City of Champlin, revealed to Axios that over $9,000 was spent to employ this level of protection for Potter, a fact that has spurred anger from many commenters given that Potter was neither the victim of a crime nor is she currently employed by the City or the Police Department.
Last Wednesday, the day following her home's security upgrade, Potter was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter. However, she posted bond and was released later that day. The next day, she appeared in court over Zoom with her attorney. Her next court date is scheduled for May 17.
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