Daunte Wright's Funeral Becomes Rallying Cry for Justice

Racial Reckoning: The Arc of Justice

Samantha HoangLong reports:

Two days after Derek Chauvin was convicted for the murder of George Floyd, hundreds gathered Thursday at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in Minneapolis to celebrate the life of 20-year-old Daunte Wright.

"My son had a smile that was worth a million dollars,” said his mother, Katie Wright. “When he walked in the room, he lit up the room. He was a brother, a jokester, he was loved by so many. He's going to be so missed."

Wright leaves behind his almost 2-year-old son, Daunte Jr.

"The joy that Junior brought to Daunte’s life was truly amazing - he was so happy and so proud,” said Katie Wright through her tears. “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. And now he's not going to be able to see him.”

The police say they pulled over Wright on April 11 because he had both expired tabs, and an air freshener hanging from his rear view mirror. They claim that the officer meant to tase him, but fired her gun instead.

Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton delivered an impassioned eulogy, which served both to remember Daunte and rally people for the fight ahead.

“We come today as the air fresheners for Minnesota,” Sharpton said. “We’re trying to get the stench of police brutality out of the atmosphere. We’re trying to get the stench of racism out of the atmosphere. We’re trying to get the stench of racial profiling out of the atmosphere… We come to Minnesota as air fresheners because your air is too odorous for us to breathe. We can’t breathe in your stinking air no more!”

Many families who have experienced police violence attended the funeral, including those of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Emmett Till.