POCI Caucus Statement on Shooting of Daunte Wright

On Sunday, police fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center. The Minnesota People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus released the following statement:

“Once again, a young Black man who was beloved by his family and community was killed by a police officer during a traffic stop. This painful statement could be recited by memory at this point. However, while this tragedy is distressingly familiar, we must remember that Daunte Wright was a unique human being, brimming with life and potential until it was cut short in a senseless act of violence. Daunte Wright’s life mattered.

This perpetual trauma wrought upon our Black communities is exhausting. To our community; please take time to rest and recover if you are able, these coming days will be incredibly difficult. We will need our energy and health to seek justice and maintain peace in our communities. At the Legislature we have several police accountability bills that are ready to be voted on and sent to the Governor, including the House DFL Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform budget bill which contains several critical reforms. We strongly urge our Republican colleagues to join us in creating a public safety system that will protect the lives of people like Daunte Wright.

Black Lives Matter.”

The People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) Caucus includes Reps. Esther Agbaje (59B), Jamie Becker-Finn (42B), Cedrick Frazier (45A), Aisha Gomez (62B), Hodan Hassan (Vice- Chair 62A), Kaohly Her (64A), Athena Hollins (66B), Heather Keeler (04A), Fue Lee (59A), Carlos Mariani (65B), Rena Moran (65A), Mohamud Noor (60B), Ruth Richardson (52B), John Thompson (67A), Samantha Vang (Chair, 40B), Jay Xiong (67B), Tou Xiong (53B), and Senators Bobby Joe Champion (59), Omar Fateh (62), Melisa Franzen (49), Foung Hawj (67), Mary Kunesh (41), Patricia Torres Ray (Chair, 63)

Senator Bobby Joe Champion
Senate President Senate District 59
Bobby Joe Champion represents District 59, which includes portions of downtown and north Minneapolis in Hennepin County. He is also an attorney.

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Senate President Senate District 62
Omar Fateh represents Senate District 62, which covers the community of South Minneapolis.

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Senator Melisa López Franzen
Senate President Senate District 49
Melisa López Franzen represents District 49 in the southwest Twin Cities metropolitan area.

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Senator Foung Hawj
Senate President Senate District 67
Foung Hawj represents District 67, which includes the east side of Saint Paul in Ramsey County in the central Twin Cities metropolitan area.

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Senate President Senate District 39
Mary K. Kunesh represents Senate District 39, which covers the communities of St. Anthony Village, New Brighton, Hilltop, Columbia Heights, Fridley, and a portion of Spring Lake Park.

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Senator Patricia Torres Ray
Senate President Senate District 63
Patricia Torres Ray represents District 63, which includes portions of southeastern Minneapolis and eastern Richfield in Hennepin County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

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