USA

Daunte Wright: Hundreds attend Minneapolis funeral of man shot by police

Hundreds of mourners, including family members and activists, have attended the funeral of a black man who was shot dead by police in Minneapolis. Daunte Wright, 20, was killed during a routine traffic stop in the Brooklyn Center suburb of the city on 11 April.

The city was already on edge amid the high-profile trial of a white ex-police officer for the death of George Floyd, a black man, last year.

That officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted of murder on Tuesday.

The spate of incidents in Minneapolis has triggered national outrage and widespread protests. They also prompted the US justice department to launch an investigation into the practices and conduct of the city’s police department.

The investigation will examine whether there has been a pattern “of unconstitutional or unlawful policing” in Minneapolis, Attorney General Merrick Garland said earlier this week.

Hundreds of mourners, many wearing facemasks due to the coronavirus pandemic, gathered at a historically black church in the north of the city on Thursday afternoon to remember Mr. Wright.

Mourners included the Democratic governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, who issued a proclamation calling for a statewide moment of silence during the first two minutes of Mr Wright’s funeral from noon. The edict linked Mr. Wright’s death to “deep, systemic racism”.

The Reverend Al Sharpton, a veteran civil rights leader, delivered the eulogy at the Shiloh Temple International Ministries, just as he did at Mr Floyd’s funeral last year.

Rev Sharpton spoke about the rallying cry “no justice, no peace” that has been chanted at civil rights protests for decades. “It became the chant of our movement,” he said. “The absence of justice is the absence of peace.”

Peace is the presence of justice,” he continued. “You can’t tell us to shut up and suffer. We must speak up when there is an injustice.”

Members of an armed militia called the Minnesota Freedom Fighters surrounded Mr Wright’s parents as they entered the church.

Katie Wright, Mr Wright’s mother, remembered her son as a loving father before she was overcome with emotion and had to cut her tribute short. “My son had a smile that was worth a million dollars. When he walked in the room he lit up the room,” she told mourners through tears.

“I remember when Daunte first became a father – his son was born at 28 weeks so he was premature. The joy that Junior brought to Daunte’s life was truly amazing.”He was so happy and so proud, and he always said he couldn’t wait to make his son proud. Junior was the joy of his life, he lived for him every single day.”

The Reverend Jesse Jackson, another civil rights leader, attended the funeral, as did Ben Crump, the lawyer representing the families of both Mr Wright and Mr Floyd. On Wednesday hundreds of people attended a public viewing of Mr Wright’s open casket, which was covered in red roses at the Shiloh Temple International Ministries.

Two prominent congresswomen, Democrats Ilhan Omar and Amy Klobuchar, addressed mourners, too.

Police said they stopped Mr Wright for having an expired tag on his car licence plate, but then tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant. Police then released body camera footage that showed Mr Wright fleeing from officers after they told him he was being arrested for an outstanding warrant.

As Mr Wright re-entered his car, Officer Potter can be heard shouting “Taser” several times before firing a shot. The police claim the officer meant to shoot her Taser, not her gun. Since the shooting the officer who killed Mr Wright, Kim Potter, has resigned and been charged with second-degree manslaughter.

Local News

Video: Deer crashes through window and roams Alabama elementary school classroom

On video, a deer was captured crashing through a classroom window at an elementary school in Alabama and then wandering around among the desks. According to Evergreen Elementary School, the incident occurred on February 11, and the “unexpected intrusion” was not hurt. The school posted on Facebook that they had an “unexpected intruder” this weekend. It was undoubtedly interested in seeing all the great things happening in their school. ALASKA WOMAN IS KOMBLED BY HUGE MOOSE AFTER SLEEPING UP ON HIM. The facility claims that the deer left after “a couple of hours.” BUDWEISER CYDESDALES GET TANGLED UP DURING TEXAS STOKES AND RODEO SHOW “It struggled for a few minutes learning to walk on our waxed flooring,” Evergreen Elementary School stated. CLICK HERE TO GET FOX NEWS APP Video footage shows the deer sliding around on the ground as it moves around the desks of children inside the classroom.

Local News

Texas school administrator seems to have thrown a 14-year-old boy in the wall

A mother who was concerned released surveillance video that shows a school administrator throwing a boy, 14 years old, into a wall at Round Rock High School. The incident occurred at GOALS Learning Center on April 29, a school for students with a primary disorder of emotional disturbance. Tatiana Alfano, the mother, said that she received an email and a call from the school stating that her son was defiant and had struck his head when he fell. Quintin Proctor, Quintin’s son, insisted that Quintin was actually thrown into a wall by the school administrator. His mother was shocked to receive surveillance video from the school two week later.
Just before he tried to leave, the student was standing in a corridor.
(Round Rock Independent Schools District via Fox 7 Austin) The video shows Proctor in a hallway along with two female teachers as well as the male administrator. Fox 7 Austin reported that Proctor had been brought to the “cool down area” after yelling at his teachers. Proctor tried to follow the two teachers as they left. The administrator grabbed Proctor and threw him against the wall. WILD BRAWL BREAKS OUT at the END OF ARIZONA HOST SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAMES: ‘IT WAS UGLY.’Proctor jumped up several times and raised his arm as if he was going for a punch. But he never did. The teachers later took him down a different corridor. Proctor said that he didn’t know what to think when he hit the wall. Fox 7 Austin echoed this statement.
Quintin Proctor claims he was shoved by an administrator against a wall.
(Round Rock Independent Schools District via Fox 7 Austin). A spokesperson for Round Rock Independent Schools District stated that the administrator was no longer on campus at GOALS Learning Center. Jenny LaCoste Caputo, the spokesperson for Round Rock Independent School District, stated that the incident was thoroughly investigated by the district. She also reported it to all appropriate state agencies. “The staff member is currently employed at the district, but is not on a campus. He is assigned to special projects in Central Administration.
The 14-year old hit his head against the wall.
(Round Rock Independent Schools District via Fox 7 Austin). His mom said that she shared the surveillance video because she has heard similar stories from other families. “What happened to Quintin isn’t unusual or exceptional or rare. It’s just that we have footage of it because these events are usually happening behind closed doors. So now it’s grown and it’s larger,” Alfano explained to Fox 7 Austin. “We must do right by all the kids. This shouldn’t be happening.”

Local News

Ex-Honduran congressman who lives in NY is sentenced to 30 years in international drug conspiracy

A federal judge in New York sentenced Fredy Renan Najera Montoya, a former Honduran congressman, to 30 years imprisonment for his involvement in a large-scale drug trade operation. Prosecutors claimed that Najera Montoya had imported more than 30 tonnes of cocaine into the United States. He had also pleaded guilty previously to conspiracy to import cocaine and a weapons offense. The sentence was handed down by U.S District Judge Paul Gardephe. Najera, 46, was also ordered to forfeit $39 Million and pay a $10,000,000 fine.
Fredy Renan Najera (46), was ordered to forfeit $39 Million and pay $10 Million in fines for his involvement in a drug trafficking ring.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, Najera distributed more than 30 tons cocaine from the Honduran region he represented between 2008 and 2015. According to the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, Najera helped distribute more than 30 tons of cocaine from the region of Honduras that he represented in his government role between 2008 and 2015.

USA

Florida residents react to timing of evacuation orders after Hurricane Ian

Officials in Lee County, Florida, are facing criticism over why the first mandatory evacuations weren’t ordered until a day before Ian’s landfall, despite an emergency plan suggesting evacuations should have happened earlier. CNN’s Carlos Suarez reports, and Jim Atterholt, a Fort Myers Beach Town Council member, joins Jake Tapper to discuss.

States (US)

Via Teleconference 9:37 A.M. EDT MODERATOR: Thank you to everyone for joining our press call this morning on the release of Mark Frerichs. As a reminder of the ground rules, this call is being held on background, attributable to “senior administration officials,” and the contents are embargoed until the end of the call. For your awareness but not…
The post Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on the Release of Mark<span class=”dewidow”> </span>Frerichs appeared first on The White House.