Jordan Culver, USA TODAY
Published 11:34 p.m. ET Sept. 23, 2020
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A grand jury has indicted a fired Kentucky police officer on criminal charges in the Breonna Taylor case — but not for her death. Brett Hankison was charged Wednesday with three counts of wanton endangerment. (Sept. 23)
AP Domestic
Two Louisville Metro Police Department officers were shot during protests on Wednesday night following a grand jury’s decision in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor.
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder told reporters during a preliminary briefing that the officers sustained non life-threatening injuries. One was in surgery, and the other was alert and in stable condition, he said.
A suspect has been arrested, Schroeder said.
President Donald Trump said on Twitter that he was “praying for the two police officers that were shot,” adding he had spoken to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and was “prepared to work together, immediately upon request!”
Praying for the two police officers that were shot tonight in Louisville, Kentucky. The Federal Government stands behind you and is ready to help. Spoke to @GovAndyBeshear and we are prepared to work together, immediately upon request!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2020
The officers were responding to a call of shots fired and a large crowd at around 8:30 p.m., Schroeder told reporters. He didn’t identify the officers or the suspect.
“I am very concerned about the safety of our officers,” Schroeder said. “Obviously, we’ve had two officers shot tonight and that is very serious. It’s a very dangerous condition.”
America reacts: ‘Absolutely heartbreaking’ ruling in Breonna Taylor shooting sparks new wave of national protests for justice, racial equality
One officer was shot in the abdomen below their bulletproof vest and is in surgery, and a second was shot in the thigh, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Courier-Journal of the USA TODAY Network.
Late Wednesday, Beshear addressed the shooting and asked people in the streets to “go home.”
“We know that the answer to violence is never violence and are thinking about those two officers and their families tonight,” he said.
A message from Governor Beshear on events tonight in Louisville. pic.twitter.com/XK8FZSXy8D
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) September 24, 2020
Beshear added, “There will be many times over the coming days where there will be an opportunity to be heard, and so many people are listening right now.”
Earlier in the day, Kentucky’s attorney general announced one of the three officers involved in Taylor’s shooting death, former officer Brett Hankison, was indicted, however he was being charged with three counts of felony wanton endangerment for firing into the apartment next door to Taylor’s.
Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, two other officers involved in the shooting, were not charged.
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