Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar criticized the officer who shot Ma’Khia Bryant during her eulogy at Thursday’s funeral for Daunte Wright.
Rep. @IlhanMN at Daunte Wright funeral: “Tragedy” that Columbus police “took” the life of Ma’Khia Bryant pic.twitter.com/tkxd9FzOZ1
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 22, 2021
Omar began by addressing Rev. Al Sharpton, stating that “Most of us in this room, including myself, look at you as a guardian, and are blessed to be in your presence.”
“And may Daunte Wright serve as a guardian for all of us,” Omar continued. “But as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus — as one of the youngest and newest members of the Congressional Black Caucus — I also have guardians: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and our chairwoman, Joyce Beatty, serve as guardians for me and many of my colleagues.”
“Joyce Beatty was going to be here and speak on our behalf as the chairwoman of our caucus; but just like we’ve been visited by tragedy here in Minnesota often, she, in Columbus, Ohio, was visited by a tragedy of a young woman whose life was taken by Columbus Police.” (RELATED: ‘No More Policing’: Rep. Rashida Tlaib Claims Daunte Wright Shooting Was ‘Government Funded Murder’)
Riots erupted after Wright was killed on April 11 when police tried to arrest him at a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
Body camera footage showed Officer Kim Potter firing a shot at Wright when she thought she was firing her taser.
Protests also erupted after Office Nicholas Reardon shot Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Police Department Police Chief Michael Woods and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther have both defended Officer Readon’s actions.