Officer Shot In Louisville; Cops Draw Guns While Protesters Set Fires And Destroy Property

Support SouthFront

Originally appeared at ZeroHedge

(Update 2145ET): The situation has grown more tense in Louisville after a Metro Police Officer was shot downtown according to an LMPD spokesperson, who offered no further details. There are unconfirmed reports that a second officer was shot as well.

A cop was shot in Louisville during the protests of the grand jury's decision on Breonna Taylor's killers. #Louisville pic.twitter.com/GhL8MD4OBw

— dc (@devinnotbooker) September 24, 2020

BREAKING VIDEO – Second round of shots ring in Louisville pic.twitter.com/ID4GLy4ZsZ

— FJ News Reporter (@FJNewsReporter) September 24, 2020

Elsewhere, police officers stood guard with guns drawn as protesters heckled them.

Guns are drawn here in downtown Louisville #Louisville #LouisvilleProtests #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/NTSgC0ya5j

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 24, 2020

LMPD carrying real guns now #Louisville pic.twitter.com/RTefrZXmjx

— Kitty Shackleford (@KittyLists) September 24, 2020

Both the FBI and National Guard have been deployed:

The FBI is here as well #Louisville #LouisvilleProtests #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/nTKzmZoiBU

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 24, 2020

Fires lit at Jefferson Square Park tonight #Louisville #LouisvilleProtests #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/4mWJYnvxQ0

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 24, 2020

Bus stop smashed out #Louisville #LouisvilleProtests #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/iecdb7138R

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 24, 2020

Check back for more updates…

*  *  *

The Governor of Kentucky has activated the National Guard and State Police after Brionna Taylor protests began to heat up.

KY National Guard and @kystatepolice have been deployed by the Governor. KSP says it "has been authorized to engage in specific missions in support of local law enforcement, but at all times will be under KSP command." @WDRBNews

— Valerie Chinn WDRB (@ValerieChinn) September 23, 2020

Protesters surround a man trying to defend his business, and begin smashing the windows #Louisville #BreonnaTaylor #LouisvilleProtests pic.twitter.com/ZeMAuccr4e

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 23, 2020

.@BGOnTheScene was surrounded and pushed out (for filming, I believe). He’s okay: pic.twitter.com/zi3fV2fuR4

— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) September 23, 2020

Meanwhile, the Louisville Metro Police Department is livestreaming their response:

*  *  *

A police officer in the shooting of Brionna Taylor has been indicted by a Grand Jury and charged with three counts of ‘wanton endangerment’ of the first degree in Taylor’s death, after he was found to have “blindly” fired 10 rounds into Taylor’s apartment after her boyfriend opened fire on the police.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Grand jury indicts 1 officer on criminal charges 6 months after Breonna Taylor fatally shot by police in Kentucky.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 23, 2020

Bond for the officer, Brett Hankison, has been set at $15,000. According to Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Hankison faces up to 5 years in prison for each count.

Notably, two other officers involved in the incident were not charged, while more serious charges were not brought against Hankison, per The Hill. According to Cameron, the other officers were “justified in their use of force.”

It begins…

A man just nearly pulled his gun in reaction. Crowd had to stop him. Louisville is on edge pic.twitter.com/R0WxTQQ8EO

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 23, 2020

Traffic being shuttered downtown, “Ain’t nobody going anywhere today.” #BreonnaTaylor #Louisville pic.twitter.com/mF0NPI7Ji8

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 23, 2020

Unloading the riot shields from the Uhaul #Louisville #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/F9KqzRB5lM

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 23, 2020

.@BGOnTheScene was surrounded and pushed out (for filming, I believe). He’s okay: pic.twitter.com/zi3fV2fuR4

— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) September 23, 2020

The National Guard, meanwhile, is on standby.

The National Guard is on standby in Louisville as the city braces for severe unrest in the wake of the Breonna Taylor announcement #Louisville #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/roViaqE6Lt

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 23, 2020

*  *  *

The mayor of Louisville, Kentucky has announced a 72-hour curfew from 9 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. beginning Wednesday evening in anticipation of riots over the grand jury decision in the case of Breonna Taylor. Exemptions will be made for work, medical aid and attending worship.

“We must plan for the potential of large gatherings,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Our goal is ensuring space and opportunity for people to express their First Amendment rights.”

The move comes after Fischer declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, signing two executive orders which “allows him to exercise any of his emergency powers” in response to Wednesday’s 1:30 p.m. announcement over whether officers will face charges.

Taylor was shot and killed by LMPD officers serving a search warrant on her apartment when her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire on what he says he thought were intruders. Taylor was shot five times.

Taylor’s family has received a $12 million dollar settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit, however if the officers are not charged, downtown Louisville is likely go off.

Stores in downtown Louisville have boarded up in anticipation of civil unrest.

Here’s the area around Jefferson Square Park, the hub of protests. pic.twitter.com/mYT5Yo0SbT

— Hayes Gardner (@HayesGardner) September 22, 2020

According to Summit News, Target stores as far as a 20 minute drive from downtown have boarded up.

Big box stores in the far suburbs of Louisville are boarding up their windows pic.twitter.com/obQiwbxpDz

— Pat Smith ? (@cityresearch) September 23, 2020

Support SouthFront