At least seven people were shot in Louisville as protesters demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police in March, demonstrated outside of City Hall.
Louisville Metro Police released a statement early Friday morning saying in part that “no officers discharged their service weapons.” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer posted a video on Twitter saying that the shots had come from “within the crowd” of protesters.
“Last night and early this morning, protesters took to the streets in downtown Louisville to express their deep frustration about the Breonna Taylor case,” Fischer said on Friday. “While the situation is still unfolding, we know that there were several hours of peaceful protests before some in the crowd turned violent, leading to seven people being shot from within the crowd.”
The mayor said that of the seven, five were in “good condition” and two of the victims were receiving surgery. Fischer condemned the violence at the protest.
“I feel the community’s frustration, the anger, the fear, but tonight’s violence and destruction is not the way to solve it,” said Fischer. “Gunfire and vandalism does not advance our cause and it cannot be tolerated.”
I urge protesters, as Breonna Taylor’s family said tonight, to say her name. But let’s not see anyone else get hurt. Let’s work together for peace, justice & for Breonna & all of Louisville. pic.twitter.com/RHyMgUV073
— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) May 29, 2020
Taylor’s family also put out a statement thanking protesters but urging them to remain peaceful.
“Louisville, thank you so much for saying Breonna’s name tonight. We are not going to stop until we get justice,” an unnamed woman says in the video. “But we should stop tonight before people get hurt. Please go home, be safe and be ready to keep fighting.”
A message from Breonna Taylor’s family urging protestors to be peaceful, go home and keep fighting for truth. pic.twitter.com/if5MH5UcCW
— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) May 29, 2020
Videos of the Louisville protest have surfaced on social media showing protesters attempting to push over a prisoner transport vehicle moments before shots were fired from somewhere in the crowd.
Shots ring out (not sure what kind, or by whom) as tensions escalate at a large downtown Louisville protest. @WDRBNews is at 6th and Jefferson with @TravisRagsdale @ChadKMills and @HaydenWDRB reporting pic.twitter.com/OOlcaSxVRD
— Eric Crawford (@ericcrawford) May 29, 2020
According to one reporter, police were not on the seen until after the shots rang out. Officers then went into the crowd and began tending to and extracting the wounded protesters.
“I don’t know where the shots came from. Two black men shot in the ground that I saw. Did not see any police nearby but they quickly found the men on the ground and started to deliver first aid,” WFPL News reporter Ryan Van Velzer said. Van Velzer later posted a video of one gunshot victim receiving emergency care from officers in riot gear.
I don’t know where the shots came from. Two black men shot in the ground that I saw. Did not see any police nearby but they quickly found the men on the ground and started to deliver first aid
— Ryan Van Velzer (@RyanVanVelzer) May 29, 2020
Taylor was shot and killed in her apartment in March after narcotics detectives broke down her door. The officers had a warrant. No drugs were found.
After police broke down the door to the apartment, Taylor’s boyfriend, who was with her in the apartment, shot one officer. He said that he never heard the police announce themselves and tried to fire a warning shot into the ground as the officers stormed the room. Taylor was shot eight times by the police, according to The Associated Press.
Charges were brought against Taylor’s boyfriend for shooting an officer, but the case was later dropped.
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