Daunte Wright
Posted April 12, 2021
April 12, 2021
Dear campus community,
Yesterday afternoon, 20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. This shooting death occurred 10 miles away from the county courthouse where Derek Chauvin is currently being tried for the May 2020 murder of George Floyd.
As we experience yet another death of an African American at the hands of the police and await the outcome of the Chauvin trial, members of our campus community are undoubtedly processing a range of thoughts and emotions. Many are feeling emotional and mental exhaustion, and grappling with a lack of trust and confidence in the criminal justice system, the result of the accumulated effects of witnessing state violence repeatedly with seemingly no accountability.
In fact, we need not look further than our own backyard and very recent history for an example of this pattern. Several weeks ago, we learned that there were no convictions for the three former St. Louis police officers who assaulted Detective Luther Hall. Hall was working undercover during protests in 2017 following the acquittal of former police officer Jason Stockley, found not guilty in the 2011 death of Anthony Lamar Smith.
While we have the knowledge of these more recent outcomes and the memory of countless other cases and incidents, none of us really know for sure what the outcome of the Chauvin trial will be. We also do not know all the details of the police shooting of Daunte Wright, as that investigation is ongoing. What is clear, however, is that as a University, we must continue to cultivate and increase awareness about racial injustice and work to challenge that injustice both on and off our campus. And, as a campus community, now more than ever, we must continue to stand together and hold space for each other.
As a reminder, some of the resources available to support you include:
On-Campus
- Options are available through Counseling Services, co-located with Health Services in the lower level of the Student Success Center (adjacent to the Morris University Center), suite 0222, by calling x-2842. Psychotherapists are available for the following:
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- Crisis Support
- Individual Therapy
- Facilitate group, classroom, or team discussions/debriefings
Digital
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
- Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741 to access a trained crisis counselor
- Psychoeducational Materials
Local Community Resources
Our thoughts are with the Wright family as they grieve the loss of their loved one.
Sincerely,Randy Pembrook, Chancellor
Denise Cobb, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Jessica Harris, Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Rachel Stack, Vice Chancellor for Advancement
Morris Taylor, Vice Chancellor for Administration
Jeffrey Waple, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs