x
Breaking News
More () »

79 people arrested following demonstration for Daunte Wright

A citywide curfew went into effect in Brooklyn Center at 10 p.m., and some of those arrested were charged with unlawful assembly and inciting a riot.
Credit: CNN

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — EDITOR'S NOTE: Live video may contain obscenities

  • Operation Safety Net says some in the crowd outside Brooklyn Center PD threw bottles, brick at officers
  • Law enforcement says 79 arrested
  • Hundreds march from the Brooklyn Center police station to a nearby FBI building, before returning to the police station
  • Curfews enacted by Minneapolis, St. Paul, several metro cities

Wednesday, April 14

11 a.m.

Minnesota's Operation Safety Net says 79 people were arrested Tuesday night following a protest in Brooklyn Center over the shooting death of Daunte Wright by a police officer. Overnight, OSN initially said about 60 people were arrested.

Minnesota State Patrol made 73 arrests, the Minneapolis Police Department made five arrests, and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office made one arrest.

OSN says the charges varied, but included things like inciting a riot and unlawful assembly.

A curfew was in effect for Brooklyn Center from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

12 a.m.

Law enforcement officials with Operation Safety Net confirmed that dozens were arrested following a demonstration protesting the police shooting of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center. 

Authorities said during an early morning press conference that bricks and cans were among the objects thrown at police officers during the third night of protests at the Brooklyn Center Police Department, after a member of their department shot and killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop.

Col. Matt Langer, with the State Patrol, said upwards of 60 people were arrested in connection with the unrest Tuesday night. 

"The behaviors we continue to see are unacceptable, and we are not going to tolerate them," Langer insisted. "We encourage you to be peaceful and come and exercise your first amendment rights, it is not acceptable and will not be tolerated if you choose to come and do criminal activity and destroy property and throw objects and make it unsafe for people to come and exercise your first amendment rights."

11:15 p.m.

Some demonstrators remain in the area of the Brooklyn Center Police Department in response to Daunte Wright's death, but numbers have lessened significantly from the hundreds that were in attendance earlier.

Earlier in the night, Operation Safety Net said some people in the crowd were throwing objects, including bottles and bricks, and spraying mace at officers.

Curfew is currently in effect citywide in Brooklyn Center as well as several surrounding cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

10 p.m.

Curfew is in effect across several Twin Cites metro cities, including Minneapolis, St. Paul and Brooklyn Center, where protests continue outside of the Brooklyn Center Police Department in response to Daunte Wright's death.

Curfews will remain in place until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Law enforcement is arresting people who are refusing to comply with the multiple dispersal orders that have been issued.

9:30 p.m.

Operation Safety Net (OSN) says that people are currently being arrested near the Brooklyn Center Police Department for refusing to leave after multiple dispersal orders from law enforcement. OSN is a joint operation, but Gov. Tim Walz's office says that the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is the commander of this incident.

According to OSN, the dispersal orders have been issued because some people in the crowd have been throwing objects – including bottles and bricks – at officers, as well as shooting fireworks and spraying mace at the officers.

9:10 p.m.

Flash bangs can be seen being fired into the crowd as law enforcement continues to urge people gathered outside of the Brooklyn Center Police Department to disperse.

Hundreds of people were outside the police station as part of a rally for Daunte Wright, which began earlier in the evening.

9 p.m.

Law enforcement began advancing toward the crowd gathered outside of the Brooklyn Center Police Department as tensions continued to rise two days after Daunte Wright's death.

Law enforcement is asking everyone to leave the scene after declaring it an "unlawful assembly," saying anyone that remains in the area will be arrested.

A CNN reporter on the scene reported that authorities have also told the media to leave, and are deploying pepper spray.

8:50 p.m.

Loud bangs can be heard as some people in the crowd hurled objects at law enforcement surrounding the Brooklyn Center Police Department following Daunte Wright's death.

Operation Safety Net says that a third dispersal order has been issued and anyone that remains near the area will be arrested.

8:38 p.m.

Tensions began to rise outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office announced that the demonstration was an "unlawful assembly," giving protesters 10 minutes to disperse.

8 p.m.

As demonstrators gathered outside of the Brooklyn Center Police Department Tuesday night as part of a rally for Daunte Wright, several speakers addressed hundreds of people in the crowd calling for justice.

At one point, the crowd joined together in song as they raised their illuminated phones into the air.

7:15 p.m.

Hundreds of demonstrators returned to the Brooklyn Center Police Department after marching to the Brooklyn Center FBI building Tuesday evening as part of a rally for Daunte Wright. 

6:15 p.m.

Community members and activists marched from the Brooklyn Center Police Department to the Brooklyn Center FBI building Tuesday evening, two days after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a police officer. 

The march and rally is scheduled ahead of a citywide curfew in Brooklyn Center beginning at 10 p.m. Several other surrounding cities have also implemented curfews Tuesday night lasting until Wednesday morning.

5 p.m.

Demonstrators gathered outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department Tuesday evening, two days after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a Brooklyn Center police officer.

A curfew was announced for the City of Brooklyn Center, beginning at 10 p.m. Tuesday and lasting until 6 a.m. Wednesday. Brooklyn Center joins Minneapolis, St. Paul and several other metro cities in implementing curfews throughout the night.

For a complete list of curfews being enacted around the Twin Cities Tuesday night, click here.

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott urged residents on Twitter to comply to Tuesday evening's curfew, saying "some outside elements may be planning to show up to infiltrate peaceful protesters and cause mayhem." Elliot added, "we will not allow that."

4:30 p.m.

Several cities are implementing curfews Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in anticipation of potential unrest after Daunte Wright was shot and killed Sunday afternoon by a Brooklyn Center police officer.

Minneapolis, St. Paul, Brooklyn Center and several other surrounding cities set curfews beginning 10 p.m. Tuesday and lasting until 6 a.m. Wednesday. Champlin enacted a curfew from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday, and Brooklyn Park announced a curfew from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.

There will be certain exceptions, including people traveling to and from work, people attending religious services, emergency personnel, anyone experiencing homelessness, and members of the news media. Voters and workers participating in Tuesday evening's special primary election in Brooklyn Park will also be exempt.

A press release Tuesday from the City of Minneapolis said exemptions will be granted to specific community patrol organizations, including A Mother Love, Center for Multicultural Mediation, Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), Corcoran Neighborhood Organization and T.O.U.C.H. Outreach, Change Equals Opportunity (C.E.O.), Restoration Inc., and We Push for Peace.

Multiple counties, including Hennepin and Ramsey counties, enacted curfews Monday evening into Tuesday morning.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department Monday evening demanding justice after 20-year-old Wright, a Black man, was killed by Potter during a traffic stop Sunday just before 2 p.m. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified the officer who shot Wright as Kim Potter, who is white, and had been with the Brooklyn Center Police Department for 26 years. On Tuesday, Potter, along with Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon, announced their resignations.

The Washington County Attorney's Office told KARE 11 Tuesday that Potter may be charged as early as Wednesday.

According to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department, 62 people were arrested after Monday evening's demonstration. Arrests ranged from curfew violations to rioting.

 

Before You Leave, Check This Out