Giffords Condemns Police Shooting of Daunte Wright

Washington DC — Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, condemned the killing of 20-year-old Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the hands of police yesterday afternoon. Pulled over for having an air freshener in his rearview mirror, Daunte was shot and killed in front of his girlfriend, the mother of his one-year-old son. 

Daunte’s death comes as former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for the murder of George Floyd. Giffords is calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Daunte Wright and accountability from the officers responsible. Giffords also supports legislative reform to help bring broader systemic change, transparency, and accountability to law enforcement. 

“A routine traffic stop shouldn’t be a reason to fear for one’s life—but for Black men in this country, it is,” said Giffords Executive Director Peter Ambler. “Gun violence tears apart families and entire communities. This includes when police officers are the ones pulling the trigger. If our country is ever to truly offer liberty and justice for all, we must view and treat every Black and Brown life as valuable—not disposable.” 

“Another family is mourning the death of a loved one killed by police violence. Daunte Wright, a beloved father and a son with his whole life ahead of him, was gunned down by an officer after a routine traffic stop. Now he won’t reach his 21st birthday or watch his son grow up,” said Giffords Law Center Executive Director Robyn Thomas. “This situation is not new. It is not acceptable. And it won’t change unless we hold officers accountable and reimagine what safety looks like for our communities.”

For more on how high-profile incidents of police violence lead to plummeting trust in law enforcement and cycles of community violence, read Giffords Law Center’s 2020 report, In Pursuit of Peace: Building Police-Community Trust to Break the Cycle of Violence.

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