Kim Potter, the former police officer responsible for the death of Daunte Wright, has been released from prison.
According to The Minnesota Department of Corrections, Potter was released from custody on Monday around 4 a.m. after serving 16 months out of her two-year sentence. As part of her release, Potter will be under supervision for the remaining duration of her sentence.
“Based on the intelligence we gathered, we released Ms. Potter at a time we felt was safest for her and for everyone at the correctional facility,” DOC spokesperson Andy Skoogman said. “Our criminal investigative analysts are working closely with law enforcement to monitor the situation to ensure Kim Potter, like all incarcerated persons, is safe as she leaves our facility.”
On April 11, 2021, Brooklyn Center officers fatally shot Wright during a routine traffic stop. The stop was initiated because of his expired license tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. The officers quickly found out that Wright had a warrant for a misdemeanor weapons possession charge. He was ultimately killed as the officers attempted to arrest him.
On the video recording from the incident, Potter can be heard shouting “taser” multiple times before she shoots her gun while Wright attempted to flee from the traffic stop. Following the shooting, the state’s attorney general office requested a prison sentence of slightly more than seven years in accordance with state guidelines. However, Wright’s lawyer Ben Crump criticized the judge for being biased towards the white officer, as they believed the two-year sentence was too lenient.
Nevertheless, Potter extended an apology to Wright’s family at the sentencing.
“Katie, I understand a mother’s love. I’m sorry I broke your heart. My heart is broken and devastated for all of you.”
