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Cop Lays Into Officers For Not Being Able To Tell Their Guns And Tasers Apart In Viral Video
If you've struggled to understand how a seasoned police officer like Kimberly Potter could mistake her gun for her taser, you're not alone—even her fellow officers are scratching their heads.
A police officer recently took to TikTok to lay into law enforcement officers like Potter, who fatally shot Daunte Wright last week after confusing her gun for her taser.
The officer's TikTok account has since been deleted, but his video has still gone viral anyway for saying what so many have been thinking.
In his video, the officer, who went by the name Brian B. on TikTok, explained the conventional arrangement most officers use of having their gun on their dominant-hand side and taser on their non-dominant side so as not to get them confused.
He then issued some choice words for, presumably, former Officer Potter.
"Huge weight difference, guys. I don't understand how we can mistake a Taser for a gun or a gun for a Taser. If you're in the heat of the moment, and you do something like that, you shouldn't be doing this job."
Brian B. also admonished people in his profession for so often being too quick to draw their weapons.
"Ninety-nine percent of our job is communication. You don't have to be quick to pull out a gun or a taser on somebody and think everybody's a threat."
"Not everybody's a threat. Try talking to them; get to know these people."
In the wake of the killing of Daunte Wright, many have expressed skepticism over the idea Potter mistook her gun for her taser, and recent reporting by the New York Times shows just how hard it is to confuse the two weapons.
All three guns used by Brooklyn Center, Minnesota police weigh significantly more than a taser, and are equipped with a safety that can be felt when a finger is on the trigger. Brooklyn Center's tasers are also bright yellow in color.
On Twitter, people applauded Brian B. for speaking out.
@QasimRashid This police officer understands the meaning of serve and protect— BlueinOkla (@BlueinOkla) 1618679909.0
@QasimRashid Where TF are THESE cops at?— Rashida4Prez (@Rashida4Prez) 1618657303.0
@QasimRashid More of this guy and less of the cops who confuse policing w hunting black people— Rebecca Dante (@Rebecca Dante) 1618627539.0
Atleast someone understand their job https://t.co/5FlE2MXSkZ— 罪 (@罪) 1618689200.0
And many echoed Brian B's admonishments.
@QasimRashid I work in a school and we have an officer on campus every day. I asked him “is it easy to confuse your… https://t.co/xGO87R7Q6E— Kayla (@Kayla) 1618627694.0
@QasimRashid Last year here in Montreal I was first hand witness to interaction with a non white guy and the police… https://t.co/QUHHryk4JD— GoodBuddyKIRK (@GoodBuddyKIRK) 1618627735.0
You know the police state is getting bad when their fellow Officers are denouncing there morally repugnant, Idiotic… https://t.co/wOZIEfiSop— mike smith (@mike smith) 1618806713.0
And others questioned why police tasers are shaped like guns in the first place.
@QasimRashid 1. Terrible design—things that aren’t guns shouldn’t take the form of a gun. It’s happened before, wil… https://t.co/KfOuX9lFNZ— Nellie Bly (@Nellie Bly) 1618663353.0
@QasimRashid @mjbeegood Tasers didn't used to be shaped like guns. Now they have pistol grips and triggers. That's part of the problem.— audiomagnate🔊 (@audiomagnate🔊) 1618660085.0
Potter, a 26-year veteran police officer, was charged with second-degree manslaughter for the death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, a charge many, including Wright's family, feel is too light.