The Latest: Armed men provide security at Wright funeral

More than a dozen men from a local security group, many with rifles, sidearms and wearing body armor, are watching over the funeral for Daunte Wright

Daunte Wright (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The Latest on the funeral of Daunte Wright a 20-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by a suburban Minneapolis police officer during a traffic stop April 11 (all times local):

11:38 a.m.

More than a dozen men from a local security group, many with rifles, sidearms and wearing body armor, are watching over the funeral for Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old Black man killed last week in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center.

The men’s patches identify them as members of the Minneapolis Freedom Fighters, a group of Black men formed last year to provide security in Minneapolis’ largely Black north side neighborhoods during unrest following the death of George Floyd last year.

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted two days ago of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death.

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11:08 a.m.

The family of Daunte Wright is preparing for his funeral Thursday. It comes just days after guilty verdicts were handed down for the former Minneapolis police officer whose killing of George Floyd set off nationwide protests and a reckoning over racism. Wright died April 11 after a white Brooklyn Center police officer shot the 20-year-old Black man during a traffic stop. Her chief said it appeared the officer mistakenly used her gun instead of her Taser. The officer resigned soon after and is charged with second-degree manslaughter. Wright’s killing came amid increasing tension during the weekslong trial of Derek Chauvin, the white former police officer who killed Floyd.