Madonna made a post on Instagram, sharing the police footage from the last moments of Daunte Wright, a young unarmed Black man recently killed by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
Specifically, Madonna was disgusted by the response from Chief Tim Gannon who claimed the officer didn't realize the difference between her gun and a taser. Gannon later resigned as did the officer.
Madonna's caption read:
"This video of Daunte Wright's shooting is deeply upsetting •but equally so is Police Officer Tim Gannon's explanation of how it was all an accident."
"The shooting officer had a taser in one hand and a hand gun in the other."
"She warned everyone she was going to taser a handcuffed Daunte who was pulled over for a traffic violation and instead she shot and killed him!"
"No way to fix this accident is there Tim??!!"
"This is so infuriating and unacceptable. God bless Daunte and his family."
Many comments expressed equal disgust and heartache over the tragic incident.
@Madonna/Instagram
However many criticized Wrights' resisting arrest which is not a death penalty offense.
A comment from one woman called out Madonna and her use of bodyguards.
@Madonna/Instagram
The comment from @karengayler said:
"I would bet you have people with guns to protect you and your family."
"But the little people can be left unarmed."
"If you take the guns away criminals will ALWAYS find weapons."
Gayler went on to speak in favor of society—criminal and victim alike—being able to have weapons.
Madonna was not having any of it.
Her response clapped back this woman knows nothing of her life.
She continued to uphold her stance the police are in the wrong here.
@Madonna/Instagram
Madonna's comment said:
"I don't have any security or armed guards around me. Come see me and tell me to my face how not real my world is."
She ended with:
"Police are protected by judges and the criminal justice system which is a joke because there is no justice if you are a person of color."
"Of course your name is Karen."
Twitter praised Madonna for her response.
Though the final comment was a true clap back, the ultimate point Madonna made was the police are supposed to protect and serve all people, which in Daunte Wright's case they did not do.
Misdemeanors for traffic violations are not death penalty offenses. The use of deadly force to arrest people for misdemeanors needs to be examined and ended.
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AMC