Louisville Police Arrest 26 in 2nd Night of Breonna Taylor Protests

Isabel van Brugen
By Isabel van Brugen
September 25, 2020US News
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Louisville Police Arrest 26 in 2nd Night of Breonna Taylor Protests
Demonstrators march through the streets in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 24, 2020. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Louisville police arrested 26 people during a second night of protests prompted by an announcement related to the officer-involved shooting case of Breonna Taylor.

The unrest came hours after a Kentucky grand jury brought no murder charges against any of the three Louisville police officers involved in the shooting that led to Taylor’s death during a warranted drug trafficking investigation gone wrong on March 13.

One former police officer, Brett Hankison, was indicted for wanton endangerment after he indiscriminately fired 10 rounds into Taylor’s apartment and an apartment next to Taylor’s when his colleague was shot in the leg by Taylor’s boyfriend.

The late night search was not a “no-knock” one, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican, confirmed. Officers knocked on the door and announced themselves before entering the residence.

After the decision was rendered, Black Lives Matter protesters and agitators started marching from Jefferson Square Park to Broadway. The National Guard was deployed, according to reporters in the city.

During the second night of civil unrest, authorities alleged that those arrested broke restaurant windows, damaged city buses, attempted to start a fire, and threw a flare into the downtown library in an attempt to start a fire, which was not successful.

Protesters disbanded two hours after curfew, Louisville Metro Police said.

Protesters march through downtown Louisville
Protesters march through downtown Louisville, Ky., Sept. 23, 2020. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

A day earlier, two Louisville Metro police officers were shot when officers were told about a crowd gathering at South Brook and East College streets. Police chief Rob Schroeder said officers were deployed after reports of shots fired, and when they arrived, gunfire erupted and two officers were injured.

“I’m very concerned about the safety of our officers tonight. Obviously, we’ve had two officers shot tonight. That is a very serious and a very dangerous condition. I think the safety of our officers and of the community we serve is of the uppermost importance,” Schroeder told a press briefing on the night of the shooting.

He said both officers were in a stable condition with non-life threatening injuries. One was still undergoing surgery while the other was alert in the care of Louisville University Hospital. Their identities have not been released.

Authorities identified 26-year-old Larynzo Johnson as a suspect. He was charged with wanton endangerment and assault of a police officer, according to WLKY.

Potential violations of federal law in connection with the raid are still being investigated by the FBI.

People prepare plywood shields for a march in Louisville
People prepare plywood shields for a march in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 24, 2020. (Bryan Woolston/Reuters)

The shooting drew widespread condemnation from elected officials, including President Donald Trump and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

“I would like to note the situation in Louisville, Kentucky, last night. There were reports of vandalism. There were nearly 100 arrests. And the Trump administration urges calm and reminds those who wish to have their voices heard to do so peacefully,” McEnany told reporters at a press briefing Thursday.

“Our police officers deserve our respect, and the violence that is being committed towards them—and this was just in the last week and a half—is outrageous.”

Epoch Times reporter Jack Phillips and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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