The Minnesota Twins are postponing their game against the Boston Red Sox “out of respect for the tragic events” surrounding the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright.
In a statement on Monday, the team said, “Out of respect for the tragic events that occurred yesterday in Brooklyn Center, and following the additional details in this evolving situation, the Minnesota Twins have decided it is in the best interests of our fans, staff, players, and community to not play today’s game.”
“The decision was made by the Minnesota Twins after consultation with Major League Baseball, and local and state officials,” it continued. “The Minnesota Twins organization extends its sympathies to the family of Daunte Wright.”
Read the statement below:
#MNTwins statement on postponing today’s game: pic.twitter.com/gxuZZ01vu2
— danhayesmlb (@DanHayesMLB) April 12, 2021
Daunte Wright, 20, a Black man, was fatally shot by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota — a suburb of Minneapolis — after he was pulled over for a traffic violation. Officers also learned that there was an arrest warrant out for Wright.
As officers attempted to detain Wright, he stepped back into his vehicle, which is when he was shot.
On Monday, Chief Tim Gannon of the Brooklyn Center Police Department said, “It is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser, but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet.”
“This appears to me, from what I viewed, and the officer’s reaction and distress immediately after, that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in a tragic death of Mr. Wright,” he added.
The officer who shot Wright has been placed on administrative leave, and officials have not identified the officer’s race.
In bodycam footage released on Monday, the officer can be heard yelling, “Taser!” as Wright got back in his car. After firing her firearm, she is heard saying, “Shit! I just shot him.”
The shooting sparked protests, and the National Guard was mobilized. A curfew was put in place through Monday morning.
The incident comes as the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused of murdering George Floyd last year, is ongoing in a courthouse just miles away.
