The estate of Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old fatally shot at a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, has been hit with a lawsuit in which he’s accused of being a violent offender. As CBS reported, Joshua Hodges is suing Wright’s estate after he allegedly experienced theft and assault at the hands of the late man.
According to the suit, Hodges was sitting in his vehicle on March 21 when he noticed Wright and another man driving toward him. Wright’s associate fired his gun and allegedly struck Hodges in the leg. The 20-year-old then hit him in the face and ran off with his wallet, cellphone and car.
Hodges is now seeking more than $50,000 in compensation for the “severe emotional distress and mental anguish” he experienced in the wake of the tragic occurrence.
Hodges’ legal action against Wright’s estate is the second time the 20-year-old has been accused of violence. In May, Michael B. Padden, the attorney representing Hodge, filed a lawsuit alleging Wright “shot and badly injured” Caleb Livingston in May of 2019. The incident reportedly resulted in Livingston’s “serious, disabling and permanent injuries.”
Wright made headlines after news spread of his fatal encounter with Brooklyn Center police. As previously reported by REVOLT, he was pulled over after authorities noticed he not only had an expired license plate but violated Minnesota law with an air freshener in his mirror. When officers realized there was a warrant out for his arrest, they attempted to take him into custody, but he went back inside his car, prompting Officer Kim Potter to fire her gun.
Potter — who has since resigned from her job — later explained that her intentions were to pull out a Taser and tame Wright. In December, she is scheduled to start trial where she faces a second-degree manslaughter charge. It’s not clear whether the allegations against Wright will be mentioned in court.