Posted on September 23, 2020

At Least One Officer Shot as Gunfire Rings Out in Louisville Amid Protests over Breonna Taylor Charges

RT, September 23, 2020

A police officer in Louisville has been shot amid chaotic protests over the lack of murder charges for the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, with footage from the scene showing officers taking cover as gunfire erupts.

As groups of protesters squared off with police around Louisville on Wednesday night, multiple shots went off. One officer was shot, according to preliminary reports from law enforcement, which has provided no further details about the incident.

Videos that circulated on social media captured the sound of the gunfire, as well as officers on the other end, who could be heard saying “officer down” over their radios as they rushed for cover.

Local media also shared footage showing an officer as he was loaded into an ambulance, surrounded by a sizable group of riot police.

A reporter on the scene claimed the shots were fired directly at the officers, rather than into the air, though he did not specify whether the shooter was affiliated with the ongoing protests.

Other footage appeared to show Louisville officers had exchanged their less-lethal weapons for real guns.

The local FBI office said it had deployed a SWAT team to respond to the shooting and that it would assist the police investigation, but also offered no other details about the officer or his condition.

Unverified reports also stated a second officer was shot, but police have yet to confirm them, and it remains unclear if the two events were related.