周六下午,路易斯维尔一场呼吁为布莱娜·泰勒伸张正义的抗议活动中,三名武装民兵成员在一起明显的事故中被枪杀。
据路易斯维尔市警察局称,这三人都是NFAC的成员,都受了非致命伤害。枪手也是民兵成员。
该组织的创始人约翰“大师杰伊”约翰逊告诉美国广播公司新闻,民兵成员在示威游行前检查枪支时,一名妇女的武器被意外发射。约翰逊称这位妇女为实习生。
路易斯维尔市警察局临时局长罗伯特·施罗德在一份声明中说:“今天下午1:00左右,在巴克斯特公园参加NFAC示威游行的人开枪打死了三个人。”“路易斯维尔消防部门和LMEMS在短时间后抵达,将三名没有生命危险的受害者送往路易斯维尔大学医院。所有涉案人员都是NFAC成员,没有未决嫌疑人。”
警方称对枪击事件的调查正在进行中。
施罗德补充说:“这是一个悲惨的情况,本来可以更糟。”“我鼓励任何选择行使第二修正案权利的人负责任地这样做。”
路易斯维尔警方公布了枪击案的监控录像,录像显示,在游行之前,几十名NFAC成员在公园里转来转去,当时枪意外走火,几个人受伤倒在地上。
2020年7月25日,肯塔基州路易斯维尔,NFAC成员在游行前举起他们的武器。该组织正在游行抗议布莱娜·泰勒被杀。
约翰逊不愿就该组织对那些参与武装游行者的审查过程发表评论。
约翰逊告诉美国广播公司新闻:“我认为,每个人都应该行使最大的责任,当处理枪支,但话说回来,我们正在处理的人谁犯了错误。”
NFAC,是“非自由联盟”的缩写,身穿军装,携带半自动武器行进,以引起人们对3月份警察枪杀泰勒事件的关注。约翰逊说,大约2500名武装人员和300名非武装民兵参加了游行。
这位26岁的急诊医生在她自己家里被杀当警察执行“禁止敲门”搜查令搜查毒贩时。泰勒的男朋友肯尼斯·沃克向警察开枪,认为有人闯入了房子。当警察还击时,泰勒至少遭到了八次枪击。
“NAFC”武装分子穿过市中心向肯塔基州路易斯维尔的司法大厅行进。,2020年7月25日星期六。
几个月来,抗议者一直呼吁逮捕并起诉参与枪击事件的三名警察。抗议活动在2000年后变得更加激烈警察杀害乔治·弗洛伊德五月在明尼阿波利斯。
布雷特·汉克森警官上个月因违反程序枪杀了泰勒而被解雇。
路易斯维尔警方表示,他们已经为周六在该市的示威做好准备,并关闭道路作为预防措施,以允许NFAC成员和其他人游行。
“LMPD仍然致力于根据第一修正案和平表达意见。正如我们几个星期以来所做的那样,只要不威胁公共安全,就没有必要进行警察干预。”“我们不会容忍非执法人员封锁街道,阻碍交通,或试图威胁或强迫没有参与抗议的人离开他们的预定目的地。”
反对者,一个被称为三个百分点的极右翼民兵组织,也出现在周六的抗议活动中。
3 members of armed militia injured in shooting at Breonna Taylor protest
Three members of an armed militia were shot in an apparent accident at a protest calling for justice for Breonna Taylor in Louisville on Saturday afternoon.
The three people, all members of the NFAC, suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department. The shooter was also a member of the militia.
The group's founder, John "Grand Master Jay" Johnson, told ABC News that members of the militia were inspecting firearms prior to the demonstration when a woman's weapon was accidentally discharged. Johnson referred to the woman as a trainee.
"Today, shortly before 1:00 pm, three people were struck by gunfire as the result of a discharge of someone's gun who was participating in the NFAC demonstration at Baxter Park," Louisville Metro's interim Chief of Police Robert Schroeder said in a statement. "Louisville Division of Fire and LMEMS arrived a short time later and transported all three victims to the University of Louisville Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. All involved are members of the NFAC and there are no outstanding suspects."
The police said the investigation into the shooting was ongoing.
"This is a tragic situation that could have been much worse," Schroeder added. "I encourage anyone choosing to exercise their Second Amendment rights to do so responsibly."
Louisville police released surveillance footage of the shooting that showed dozens of members of the NFAC milling around the park prior to the march when the gun accidentally discharged and a few people dropped to the ground injured.
Johnson would not comment on the group's vetting process for those who took part in the armed march.
"I believe that everyone should exercise the utmost responsibility when handling firearms, but then again, we're dealing with humans who make mistakes," Johnson told ABC News.
The NFAC, which is short for "Not F------- Around Coalition," was marching in military-style fatigues and carrying semi-automatic weapons in order to call attention to the fatal police shooting of Taylor in March. Johnson said about 2,500 armed and 300 unarmed militia members took part in the march.
The 26-year-old EMT waskilled in her own homewhen police executed a "no-knock" warrant searching for a drug trafficker. Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire on police believing that someone was breaking into the house. Taylor was struck by gunfire at least eight times when police returned fire.
For months, protesters have been calling for the three officers who were involved in the shooting to be arrested and charged. The protests gained in intensity following thepolice killing of George Floydin Minneapolis in May.
Officer Brett Hankison was fired last month for violating procedure when he shot Taylor.
Louisville police had said they were ready for demonstrations in the city on Saturday and shut down roads as a precaution to allow the NFAC members and others to march.
"LMPD remains committed to peaceful expression of views under the First Amendment. As we have done for several weeks, there will be no need for police intervention as long as there is no threat to public safety," the police said in a statement Friday. "We will not tolerate the barricading of streets by non-law enforcement, impeding traffic, or attempting to threaten or force people not involved in the protests from their intended destination."
Counterprotesters, a far-right militia called the Three Percenters, also appeared at Saturday's protest.