Officer charged for Brooklyn Center shooting

Before the 10 p.m. curfew on Tuesday, a crowd aimed fireworks at the Brooklyn Center police station and threw objects at officers, who responded with flash-bangs and gas grenades. Washington County Attorney Pete Orput on Wednesday charged former officer Kim Potter with second-degree manslaughter for shooting Daunte Wright, 20, on Sunday during a traffic stop. Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said he believed Potter fired her gun by mistake instead of a Taser. Potter and Gannon resigned on Tuesday, but protests continued, with hundreds gathering at the police department, now surrounded by fencing and concrete barriers.

What’s the latest in Derek Chauvin’s trial? Dr. David Fowler, a former chief medical examiner for the state of Maryland, testified on Wednesday that George Floyd died from a sudden heart rhythm problem, not lack of oxygen. The defense witness said the drugs in Floyd’s system, his high blood pressure, the stressful situation, and the exhaust from the nearby vehicle all likely contributed to Floyd’s heart failing. Former officer Derek Chauvin’s attorneys are arguing Floyd did not die because Chauvin knelt on his neck, as prosecution witnesses testified. Floyd’s death last May set off nationwide riots and protests.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read a 2016 report by Emily Belz and Sophia Lee on American Christians’ responses to police shootings.