The girlfriend of Daunte Wright is suing former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter and the city, claiming she has suffered physical and psychological injuries as a result of the fatal incident.
According to the lawsuit filed Friday, Alayna Albrecht-Payton was sitting in the passenger seat the day Wright was shot and killed during a traffic stop.
The lawsuit claims that Albrecht-Payton was injured in the crash that happened right after Wright was shot. She suffered a broken jaw and a cut lip during the incident, but it remains unclear how she suffered the broken jaw, whether it was police’s doing or the crash itself.
“Potter’s shooting caused Daunte to lose control of and crash the car, thereby injuring Alayna,” the lawsuit states, in part.
Wright was killed on April 11, 2021, after Potter shot and killed him during a traffic stop. Wright was pulled over due to expired license plate tabs and officers discovered Wright had a warrant out for his arrest once police were able to positively identify him.
Body camera footage shows Potter attempting to place Wright in handcuffs, however, he tried to get back in his car. Then, Potter pulled out her firearm, pointed at Wright, and shot him once. She is also heard yelling “Taser! Taser! Taser!” moments before she pulled the trigger.
Potter was convicted of first-degree manslaughter in December.
“In addition to her physical injuries, Alayna suffered severe psychological injuries and extreme emotional distress from watching Daunte die right in front of her,” the lawsuit states, in part.
Albrecht-Payton also claimed she suffered emotional distress, including being “diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder.”
Wright’s family previously won a lawsuit filed against the city and police department for $3.25 million, marking the largest settlement for a city outside of Minneapolis in Minnesota’s history.
Bring Me The News reached out to the city for comment but has yet to hear back.
