Police Killing of Daunte Wright Sparks Protest

Talking to Students About Daunte Wright and Police Violence

Read the summary, watch the video and answer the discussion questions. Note: This video begins halfway through the broadcast segment and does not contain graphic footage. (The full video on the NewsHour’s website contains footage of the shooting and additional graphic footage.) Teachers may want to refer to this resource by Colorín colorado about discussing community violence with your students.

As the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin went into a third week of testimony Monday, a police killing of a motorist in a neighboring community has once again left the region reeling.

• Twenty-year-old Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop on Sunday, April 10.
• Police have claimed the shooting was an accident, and that the officer had confused her gun with a stun gun. The officer has since resigned.
• Wright’s death echoes the killing of George Floyd just as Officer Derek Chauvin is being tried for Floyd’s murder.

Discussion Questions: Daunte Wright and Police Violence

• Who is interviewed for this segment?
• Why are many in the Minneapolis community skeptical of the claim that the shooting was accidental, according to those interviewed here?
• What are some of the circumstances that lead to police shootings, according to this interview?
• How do the individuals interviewed in this piece explain that this killing doesn’t represent just an isolated accident? 
• Where did the shooting of Daunte Wright take place, and why is that location significant?

Focus Questions: Police Shootings and Gun Violence

1. Why do you think the two individuals interviewed here downplay the importance of training as a way to eliminate this kind of police shooting?
2. It is normal to feel upset after hearing this story and others about gun violence and police shootings. Who are trusted people at your school and home you could talk with about how you are feeling?

Media Literacy: Why do you think the two individuals interviewed in this segment were chosen to discuss the shooting?

Additional Resources

You may want to watch this video interview with Daunte Wright’s parents and discuss the impact of police killings on family and community:

Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Extra