Daunte Wright’s aunt says George Floyd’s girlfriend was once his teacher
"They murdered my nephew. They killed my nephew," Naisha Wright said at a press conference Tuesday
The families of George Floyd and Daunte Wright are linked by more than just tragedy as Wright’s aunt revealed that Floyd’s girlfriend once taught the 20-year-old.
Naisha Wright, Daunte’s aunt, appeared at a press conference on Tuesday and made the stirring announcement to those gathered, including civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump who is representing the family and members of Floyd’s family. They were there to lend support as former police officer Derek Chauvin stands trial for Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
Read More: Barack Obama calls on country to ‘reimagine policing’ following Daunte Wright’s death
“And the craziest thing, is to find out today that my family has connections to this man, to this family,” Naisha said. “His girlfriend was a teacher for my nephew. My nephew was a lovable young man.”
Naisha’s comments went viral after Huff Post reporter Philip Lewis shared them on Twitter, amassing over 9,000 retweets.
Naisha also blasted Kimberly Potter, the 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center police force who shot and killed Duante on Sunday after a traffic stop. The stop, in the Minneapolis suburb, was initiated by expired license plates and a hanging air freshener on his rearview mirror, a violation of Minnesota law.
Duante’s death from a single gunshot wound to the chest has been ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County medical examiner, leading to days of protest.
Brooklyn City Police Chief Tim Gannon claimed that Potter meant to reach for her taser and that the shooting was an accidental discharge. Naisha disagreed and declared that her nephew’s death was outright murder.
“They murdered my nephew. She killed my nephew,” Naisha said.
“Every pistol, every Taser, it has a safety on it. She saw that she had to release that. That woman held that gun in front of her for a long damn time,” she added.
Naisha said that her nephew came from a solid home filled with love.
“He was loved. He was ours!” she said and called on the crowd to “Say his name.”
The crowd did just that, chanting Duante’s name.
Read More: Daunte Wright’s parents say they ‘can’t accept’ son’s killing was a ‘mistake’
“They murdered my nephew,” Naisha said and added that her great-nephew Daunte Jr. is “fatherless – not over a mistake, over murder….His smile, the most beautiful smile. Y’all took that. My nephew’s blood is on y’all hands. I’ve never seen my brother hurt like this before. Never. To hear my brother and to see my sister’s pain. Hold her accountable? Hold her higher than accountable. You train people on this stuff. Twenty-six years. Twenty-six years.”
Naisha says she wants Potter to be held criminally accountable for her actions.
“Put her in jail. Like they would do any one of us,” she said.
As theGrio previously reported, Potter issued a letter of resignation on Tuesday addressed to Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott and Brooklyn Police Chief Gannon.
“I have loved every minute of being a police officer and serving this community to the best of my ability, but I believe it is in the best interest of the community, the department and my fellow officers if I resign immediately,” she wrote.
Gannon also resigned on Tuesday.
Naisha’s comments can be viewed in full below.
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