HENNIPIN COUNTY, MN (WBAP/KLIF News) – A Hennepin County judge sentenced former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter to two years in prison for the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in April 2021.
She’ll have to serve at least 16 months of the sentence in prison and the rest will be served on supervised release pending there are no conditional release violations. She will get credit for 58 days served.
Prosecutors had asked for a 7 year and two month sentence. Potter’s defense attorney has asked for probation.
A jury found Potter guilty of first and second-degree manslaughter last December for the 20-year-old’s death.
It’s a case that drew national headlines after Potter told investigators she mistook her gun for a tazer when she intervened as an altercation ensued when Wright tried to flee the scene.
Before sentencing Daunte Wright’s family gave impact statements.
His mother Katie Wright said her grief is overwhelming and wanted Potter to be held accountable.
“A police officer who is supposed to serve and protect took so much asway from us. She took our baby boy through a single gunshot wound through the heart and she shattered mine,” she said.
Potter also spoke before Judge Regina Chu handed down the sentence.
“Again, I am so sorry. To the community of Brooklyn Center I do owe you an apology too. I loved working for you and I am sorry what has happened to our community since the death of Daunte,” she said.
Judge Chu told the court that this particular case differs from the George Floyd killing in May of 2020 and added that its “one of the saddest cases she’s dealt with” in her time on the bench.
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