Terrell rips Minnesota mayor's remark about cops not needing guns at traffic stops

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Terrell slams Minnesota mayor's remark about cops not carrying guns at traffic stops

Civil Rights Attorney Leo Terrell slams Brooklyn Center, Minnesota mayor for claiming police do not need weapons for traffic stops.

Fox News contributor Leo Terrell said Wednesday that Brooklyn Center, Minnesota Mayor Mike Elliott was "playing to an anti-cop crowd" when claiming the police do not necessarily need weapons at a traffic stop.

Terrell spoke in the wake of the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, a Black man, by a White police officer, which has generated widespread protests and civic unrest.

"Sandra, this is unbelievable. He's not ready for prime time. What are his qualifications to articulate such a statement? I would submit to you that he's not a police officer," he told "America Reports."

Terrell responded to Elliott saying, "I don't believe officers need to necessarily have weapons every time they're making a traffic stop. Or engaged in situations that don't necessarily call for more weapons."

WHO IS MIKE ELLIOTT, THE MAYOR OF BROOKLYN CENTER WHERE DAUNTE WRIGHT WAS FATALLY SHOT?

The fatal shooting in the Minneapolis suburb Sunday has turned the nation’s attention to the city’s leadership as the issue of police misconduct once again dominates the headlines.

"We cannot afford to make mistakes that lead to the loss of life of other people," Elliott said. "We’re going to do everything we can to ensure that justice is done and our communities are made whole."

The shooting happened as police were trying to arrest Wright after pulling him over and learning he had an arrest warrant. An officer, who apparently meant to grab her stun gun, fired her service weapon after Wright broke free from police outside his car and got back behind the wheel, body camera video shows.

Kim Potter, a 26-year police veteran identified as the officer who shot Wright, was put on administrative leave before she and police Chief Tim Gannon resigned two days after the shooting.

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Terrell said Elliott does not have the police training qualifications to question police being armed for traffic stops.

"He doesn't have any formal police officer training so what gives him those qualifications or the audacity to say that? I would also submit to you for you to consider, Sandra, the New Mexico situation where an officer was shot at a routine traffic stop. Every routine traffic stop is not routine," Terrell said.

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Terrell went on to say, "All facts are different. And this mayor does not have the qualifications to even make a statement. I submit to you that he was playing to the crowd that was basically anti-cop."

Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this report.