Louisville Man Dies After Being Shot at Breonna Taylor Protest
Written by SOURCE on June 28, 2020
A man was fatally shot during a demonstration where many had met to protest Breonna Taylor‘s death.
Tyler Charles Gerth was killed on Saturday night at a park in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, the New York Times reports. Police have apprehended a suspect who was hospitalized following the shooting, according to interim Louisville Police Chief Robert Schroeder. Police and prosecutors have consulted on what criminal charges should be filed. The suspect’s identity hasn’t been released.
Schroeder revealed that the suspect has been engaging in the protests since their outset and had previously been arrested a few times. “He had been repeatedly asked by other members at the park to leave due to his destructive behavior,” Schroeder said.
Police responded to reports of shots fired at Jefferson Square Park around 9 p.m. on Saturday. Officers tried to save Gerth’s life, but the 27-year-old died at the scene. A second victim had been involved in the shooting across the street and was hospitalized with minor injuries.
Footage of the incident surfaced on social media, which seemed to show a man shooting into the park as people ran. In the video, at least one person on the ground can be seen bleeding.
“I am deeply saddened by the violence that erupted in Jefferson Square Park tonight, where those who have been voicing their concerns have been gathered,” the Louisville mayor, Greg Fischer said. “It is a tragedy that this area of peaceful protest is now a crime scene.”
The park has been a major gathering spot for Louisville’s protests following the murders of Taylor and George Floyd. This weekend’s shooting was at least the second that happened during a month of protests in the city. On May 28, seven people were injured when someone opened fire near City Hall, leading Taylor’s mother to request that those seeking justice do so “without hurting each other.”
