Statement from Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman concerning the recent tragic shooting of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center

I would like to start by offering my sincerest sympathy and prayers to the family of Daunte Wright during this heartbreaking time.

The five Urban County Attorneys adopted a new practice and procedure concerning the police use of deadly force cases one year ago, to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest in handling such cases.

The County Attorney in the jurisdiction where the shooting occurs refers the case to one of the other County Attorneys, or the Attorney General, for all decisions including a charging decision or any potential prosecution. This policy has been followed in several cases in different counties in the past year.

Accordingly, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has sent to the Washington County Attorney the case concerning the recent tragic death of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center. Further decisions on this case, upon completion of the investigation being under taken by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), will be made by the Washington County Attorney’s office.