By Canadian Press

Police: Video shows man killed in Kentucky fired a gun

Jun 2, 2020 | 11:55 AM

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Video shows that a popular barbecue shack operator fatally shot while police and National Guard soldiers were enforcing a curfew in Louisville fired a gun as officers approached his business, the city’s acting police chief said Tuesday.

The video showing David McAtee opening fire was obtained from security cameras at his business and an adjoining business, acting police Chief Robert Schroeder said. It shows McAtee’s actions while officers were trying to clear a crowd from a parking lot, he said.

“This video appears to show Mr. McAtee firing a gun outside of his business door as officers, who are using pepper balls to clear the Dino’s (Food Mart) lot, were approaching his business,” Schroeder said. “This video does not provide all the answers. But we are releasing it to provide transparency. It does not answer every question, including why did he fire and where were police at the time he fired?”

Police said they were responding to gunfire from the crowd.

McAtee was shot early Monday amid waves of protests in the Kentucky city since last week. But witnesses said the crowd had nothing to do with the demonstrations.

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The demonstrations were set off by the deaths of a black woman from Louisville — Breonna Taylor — and a black man in Minneapolis — George Floyd — in encounters with police. Witnesses

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said he showed the video to McAtee’s mother before it was released.

“This is a difficult piece of the story to process,” he said. “But I believe in transparency and I’ve heard the community demands that we share information as quickly as were able.”

Witnesses said people were gathered to have a good time, not to protest.

Kris Smith said he was at a restaurant — “just outside having a good time, having drinks, eating barbecue” — when the soldiers arrived.

“As soon as I walk to my car they jump out with the sticks, the police jump out with their sticks and their shields and stuff on,” Smith said. “It looked like something out of a movie. It looked like a freaking war zone.”

On Monday, Fischer announced the firing of Police Chief Steve Conrad after he learned that officers involved in the shooting failed to activate body cameras at the scene. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had demanded the release of police video. Beshear later called the lack of body camera footage unacceptable.

Beshear authorized state police to independently investigate, promising the probe will be conducted in an “honest and transparent way that will not take months.”

Late Monday afternoon, a huge group stretching several city blocks marched peacefully from downtown Louisville to the spot where McAtee was shot. Some motorists honked horns and raised fists in solidarity.

Hundreds of protesters regrouped later Monday night at downtown Jefferson Square and riot police standing shoulder to shoulder advanced amid bursts of fired tear gas, dispersing the crowd. Military-style vehicles could later be seen occupying the emptied-out square.

Louisville’s curfew has been extended until June 8.

Protesters have been demanding justice for Taylor, who was killed in her home in Louisville in March. The 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door as they attempted to enforce a search warrant. No drugs were found in the home.

Floyd died after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on the handcuffed man’s neck for several minutes, even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.

Bruce Schreiner And Rebecca Reynolds Yonker, The Associated Press