Louisville police chief fired after police officers body cam was turned off in shooting

Louisville, like many cities in the United States this last week, was the site of multiple protests against police brutality.  Louisville was marching for both George Floyd and Breonna Taylor; the 26-year-old EMT was killed by Louisville police.

On Monday, according to reports, David McAtee was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police and the National Guard during a protest on Sunday night. LMPD alleged that while trying to disperse a crowd, one of the protestors fired shots at them. LMPD returned fire and in the squabble, McAtee was shot and killed.

Now, new reports confirm that the Louisville Chief of Police; Steve Conrad has been fired. This termination came after it was revealed that the body cameras of the officers involved in the incident were turned off. Louisville Mayor; Greg Fischer, announced the decision to relieve Conrad during a news conference on Monday. “David was a friend to many, a well-known barbecue man that nurtured so many people in their bellies and their hearts before,” Fischer said of McAtee. “And for him to be caught up in this, for him to not be here with us, is a tragedy. It’s just hard to put into words.” However, Steve Conrad was only weeks away from a glorious retirement.

Since the shooting death of Breonna Taylor in March, officers have been required to wear body cameras. Gov. Andy Beshear has asked Kentucky State Police to carry out an independent investigation into the incident. The two officers involved, who either were not wearing their cameras or did not have them activated, have been placed on administrative leave, pending the investigation. “It is unclear whether the fatal shot was fired by law enforcement or someone else”, acting Chief Rob Schroeder said Monday. He continued; “We are working diligently to determine what happened. The community has a lot of questions, and we share those same questions,” Schroeder said. Other audio and video from the incident will be released, officials say.

Rightly deserved or too much of a penalty? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.