The mother of Daunte Wright's son has shared her heartache at the prospect of parenting without him.
Speaking at a news conference in Minnesota over the weekend, Chyna Whitaker spoke out about some of her fears in the wake of Wright's death more than a week ago. The young mother also revealed that her one-year-old son was named after his late 20-year-old father.
Whitaker said, per NBC News: "I'm the mother of Daunte Wright Sr.'s son, Daunte Jr. I never thought in a million years that this would happen.
"Everything's still all really hitting me now because I still haven't really fully understood everything that's going on right now."
She went on to say: "I'm just really hurt for my son because he doesn't have his father now. And it’s kind of stressful on me. I really don’t want to do this by myself. I feel like I’m by myself.
"But there are so many people that are supporting me and sending me stuff. And it really means a lot to me. It's keeping me together.
"And I just wanted to say thank you for all of those people that are donating and sending me messages and all the love. It's really amazing - it's really a blessing. And I just want my son to be taken care of."
Whitaker concluded: "I really can't believe this. I just hope everything works out in the end. That's all I want to say."
Wright was fatally shot by Officer Kim Potter on Sunday (April 11) during a traffic stop. When officers informed Wright that he was being arrested for an outstanding warrant, a scuffle ensued and Wright reentered the vehicle.
Potter then opened fire on Wright, reportedly mistaking her gun for her taser.
Former Police Chief of the Brooklyn Center police, Tim Gannon described the fatal encounter as an accident.
Gannon said at a press conference earlier this month: "[It] is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their taser but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet.
He added: "This appears to me from what I viewed and the officer's reaction in distress immediately after that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in the tragic death of Mr. Wright."
Both Gannon and Potter resigned from their positions and the latter has since been charged with second-degree manslaughter.
