One Dead After Louisville Police and National Guard “Returned Fire” on Crowd During Protest

A man in Louisville, Kentucky has been shot and killed by police during a protest.

The man, believed to be the owner of a local BBQ joint, was killed Sunday night around midnight when a crowd gathered to protest police brutality, sparked by the recent killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville and George Floyd in Minnesota.

WLKY reports that a crowd gathered in a parking lot after the 9pm “dusk to dawn” curfew put in place. Officers were dispatched to try to break them up.

Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad said that shots were fired at officers first before they fired back, striking and killing the man.

“I think it’s very, very clear that many people do not trust the police. That is an issue that we’re going to have to work on and work through for a long time,” Conrad said during a press conference.

He also said that it was both his officers and the National Guard who were called to break up the crowd at Dino’s Food Mart and both departments fired shots, but it’s not clear which department killed the man.

“Officers and soldiers began to clear the lot and at some point were shot at,” Conrad said in a statement. “Both LMPD and National Guard members returned fire, we have one man dead at scene”

Another angle of the shooting in #Louisville. https://t.co/JDREEURNgf

— News Updated (@UptoDateNewz) May 29, 2020

Conrad referred to the man as a “protester” but witnesses at the scene said he was not part of the demonstrations.

He said the police are currently interviewing people of interest and will provide updates as they come.

On Monday, Governor Andy Beshear released a statement about the incident, announcing an investigation into the fatal incident.

“Given the seriousness of the situation, I have authorized the Kentucky State Police to independently investigate the event,” Beshear said in a statement.