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Authorities reported that a police officer shot and killed a Black man during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on Sunday afternoon. This incident occurred just 15 minutes from the ongoing trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd.
The traffic stop took place around 2 p.m., and officers discovered that the driver, 20-year-old father Marcus Lee, had an outstanding warrant, according to Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon. “At one point, as officers were trying to place the driver under arrest, he re-entered the vehicle,” Gannon stated. “One officer discharged their firearm, hitting the driver.” Lee’s car continued for several blocks before colliding with another vehicle. His girlfriend was a passenger in the car.
Family members reported that Marcus was pulled over for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Medical personnel attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
During a press conference, Gannon indicated that the officer who shot Lee mistakenly drew their firearm instead of a Taser. He showed footage from the police camera where the officer could be heard shouting “Taser! Taser! Taser!”
Lee’s mother, Amy Lee, revealed that she was on the phone with her son before the incident. “I heard scuffling and the police officers saying, ‘Marcus, don’t run,’” she told reporters. “Then the line went dead, and a minute later, his girlfriend answered, saying he had been shot, and my son was lying there lifeless.”
Brooklyn Center Mayor Lisa Thompson expressed her condolences on social media, stating, “Our community is grieving after today’s officer-involved shooting of Marcus Lee, a young man with a bright future… We urge everyone to protest peacefully as we seek transparency and accountability.”
In a statement to several news outlets, Lee’s family described him as a devoted father who “had so much more to give.” They emphasized that “Marcus was a good person who cherished being a dad.”
In response to the protests that erupted following the shooting, Mayor Thompson imposed a curfew until 6 a.m. the next day, and local schools opted for remote learning as a precaution. The Minnesota branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called for an “immediate, transparent, and independent investigation by an outside agency” and requested the swift release of body camera footage. They raised concerns regarding the use of minor infractions, such as an air freshener, as justification for stops that disproportionately affect Black individuals.
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Summary
The shooting of Marcus Lee during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, has sparked protests and calls for accountability. Lee’s family described him as a loving father, and community leaders are urging peaceful demonstrations while demanding a thorough investigation into the incident. The ACLU has emphasized the need for transparency, especially surrounding the use of minor traffic violations as pretexts for police stops.