White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is unwilling to offer her thoughts on the charge of second-degree manslaughter filed against the police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright.
“I’m not going to weigh in on legal or law enforcement actions. We’ll leave that to the court and law enforcement authorities on the ground,” Psaki said during her press briefing on Wednesday.
Watch part of her briefing below:
WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki says she won't "weigh in on legal or law enforcement actions" against Kim Potter, the officer who shot Daunte Wright. pic.twitter.com/Gsm4KVBt2i
— The Recount (@therecount) April 14, 2021
Kim Potter, the Minnesota police officer who killed Wright, was arrested on Wednesday, just one day after she resigned from her position.
In a letter to Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott and Police Chief Tim Gannon, Potter wrote, “I have loved every minute of being a police officer and serving this community to the best of my ability, but I believe it is in the best interest of the community, the department, and my fellow officers if I resign immediately.”
Gannon also resigned on Tuesday.
“It is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet,” Gannon said of Potter.
He added, “This appears to me, from what I’ve viewed and the officer’s reaction and distress immediately after, that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in the tragic death of Mr. Wright.”
Psaki also noted during her press briefing, President Joe Biden is calling for police reform.
“All of these incidents that we’re seeing are just a reminder that too often in this country law enforcement uses unnecessary force and too often that results in the death of Black Americans,” Psaki said.
She continued, “And the president has repeatedly said that he believes we need police reform, and that’s why he’s calling on Congress to deliver that to his desk.”
