The GoFundMe page was organized by the aunt of the 20-year-old, who died after being shot by officer Kimberly A. Potter, 48, during a traffic stop on the 6300 block of Orchard Avenue just before 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Brooklyn Center Police said officers were attempting to take Wright into custody over an outstanding warrant when he tried to re-enter his vehicle.
Potter then shot Wright, who managed to drive away for a few blocks before crashing into another vehicle. Wright was pronounced dead at the scene.
“I am Daunte’s aunt Kelly and I set up this page to take the burden off my sister Katie Wright and brother in law Aubrey Wright as they are grieving the loss of their 20 year old son,” a description on the page reads.
“Please donate to give Daunte the proper burial he deserves and to help his son and son’s mother Chyna. And if you can’t support us financially, please send lots of prayers for our family to get through this tragic loss.”
At the time of publication, the money raised for Wright’s family has already reached $243,000.
The shooting of Wright, which occurred a few miles from where Minneapolis man George Floyd was allegedly murdered by ex-officer Derek Chauvin last May, has sparked two nights of protests and unrest in Brooklyn Center.
In a press conference on Monday, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said he believed Potter discharged her firearm accidentally and that she intended to deploy her Taser.
In body cam footage released on Monday, Potter can be heard yelling “Taser, Taser, Taser”—as is protocol before a stun gun is discharged—before Potter fires her gun and stating “Oh s**, I just shot him.”
“It is my belief that the officer had the intention to employ their Taser, but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet,” Gannon said.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled Wright’s death a homicide after he was shot once in the chest.
The brother of the 20-year-old has dismissed suggestions that Potter intended to shot him with a Taser following the traffic stop.
“My brother lost his life because they made a mistake,” Dallas Wright said during a demonstration on Monday. “You know the difference between your right and your left, right? Everybody knows it… you know your left and your right, that’s basic logic. And then y’all call it an accident. We don’t see it as an accident.”
“Most of y’all have seen the video,” said Dallas. “I can tell my brother was scared. I know my brother. I can tell he was scared, I can hear it in his voice. And for them to call it an accident or a mistake, to be honest it’s just straight bulls**t.”
