Waters Statement on Police Shooting of Daunte Wright

Waters Statement on Police Shooting of Daunte Wright

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, issued a statement on the police killing of Daunte Wright.

"I am deeply horrified by yet another police killing of an unarmed black man – no more than 14 miles from where Derek Chauvin stands trial for the murder of George Floyd. Despite the worldwide protests and the increased scrutiny of policing practices, Daunte Wright, a young man who so feared for his life that he called his mother during the stop, is dead following what was just a minor traffic incident. Daunte's mother now joins a painfully long list of women whose children have fallen victim to emboldened police officers who hide behind their badge.

"It is the unfortunate reality that driving while Black, running while Black, walking while Black, sitting in your vehicle while Black, bird watching while Black, serving in the military while Black, and quite frankly – doing anything that any other person could do, but doing it while Black, is dangerous and all too often ends in death. How many more of our sons and daughters must die for a so-called traffic violation? How many of our neighbors must die for a so-called counterfeit bill?

"It is worth mentioning that hundreds of men and women – domestic terrorists – armed with weapons, explosives, and military gear, vandalized our nation's Capitol, endangered the lives of many elected officials, and were allowed to leave the scene, flying home to brag about what they had done. Our country's two-tiered justice system has been laid bare before the world and it is not enough to offer thoughts and prayers. There must be swift action to completely transform our criminal justice system. It is broken. The Senate must therefore act now to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

"In this moment of immense pain for our community, and as people peacefully protest against this century's long injustice, I stand with you, committed as ever to push forward legislative solutions in the Congress that adequately address the terror we are facing in our communities."