At a time when people are protesting in Minneapolis against the police atrocity that caused George Floyd's life, a demonstration in Louisville, Kentucky, demanding justice for the death of Breonna Taylor has resulted in seven people being shot at.
Hundreds of protesters marched in the city of Louisville shouting slogans such as "no justice, no peace, prosecute police." The protest was held against the death of black woman Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician. She was fatally shot by Louisville police officers at her home during a narcotics investigation in March.
On Thursday night, May 28, demonstrators surrounded a police vehicle and started shouting slogans. Suddenly gunshots were heard injuring seven protesters. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer on Friday said that two of them underwent surgery and the other five are out of danger and doing well. "No officers discharged their weapons and that the violence came from within the crowd," said Fischer.
Gunshots Did Not Come From Police, Say Authorities
Videos of the demonstration are going viral on social media. One video shows people gathered around a police vehicle run for their life when gunshots are heard. It is too early to determine who was responsible, said the Louisville Metro Police Department.
The family of Taylor asked the protesters to desist from violence. "Do not succumb to the levels that we see out of the police. Speak. Protest. But do not resort to violence," said Taylor's sister, Juniyah Palmer on Facebook. Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, also asked the protesters to shun violence.
Taylor Fatal Shooting Incident
Taylor was at home on March 13, 2020 when police allegedly knocked on the door, broke it open and forced their way into her home after midnight during a narcotics investigation. According to Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, he did not hear anyone knocking the door. He said they kicked in the door and shot his girlfriend.
Later, Walker was charged with attempt to murder for shooting a police officer. But he argued that it was in self-defense when they shot his girlfriend. Last week prosecutors dropped charges against him and said the case needed further probe.
Lawyers fighting Taylor's case said when police broke in and shot Taylor, they failed to find any drugs in her apartment. The FBI opened a probe in the case last week. The officers responsible for the shooting incident that day have been placed on administrative leave but have not been booked for any crime.
