Breonna Taylor live updates: Protesters surrounded by law enforcement at downtown church
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Following the grand jury's findings in the Breonna Taylor case, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has extended the city's curfew.
That curfew, which went into effect at 9 p.m. Wednesday night, was supposed to last for 72 hours. Now, the curfew will remain in effect through the weekend.
The curfew, which goes from 9 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. each night, does not apply to people commuting to work, going to houses of worship for services or seeking medical attention for themselves or others, according to Fischer.
The mayor encourages people to begin to head home at 8 p.m. each night.
All Louisville Metro Government facilities in the downtown corridor will remained closed until Monday at 6:30 a.m. as well, Fischer announced Thursday.
10 p.m. LMPD arresting protesters outside church offering sanctuary
Police have former a perimeter around the First Unitarian Church of Louisville, which has offered its property as refuge to Breonna Taylor protesters.
At least 50 protesters remained outside in the church's courtyard, with about 20 more inside the sanctuary. Church leaders have offered the space to protesters seeking to avoid arrest for being on the street after the city's 9 p.m. curfew.
Church pastors and volunteers beckoned more protesters to come inside, but several appeared hesitant and chose to remain outside.
The Rev. Lori Kyle told Courier Journal reporters she spoke with the police and they have no intention of entering the church. She said LMPD is finishing an arson investigation at a library and some arrests, and then police plan to leave.
Nearby, LMPD officers were seen arresting protesters for violating curfew. An officer for the department broadcast a livestream on LMPD's Facebook page showing at least a dozen people handcuffed and sitting on a curb before being moved into transport vans.
Officers pinned down one man chest-first on the pavement as they restrained his hands behind his back. He appeared agitated and was calling for help, as officers told him to stop struggling. He spit at the officers.
9 p.m. Protests still out downtown
As Louisville's second night of curfew began, more than 100 protesters continued to march through the city's downtown corridor.
Chanting "Breonna Taylor," the crowd was marching south of Broadway, near Spalding University. Someone in the crowd threw a flare through a broken window into the Louisville Free Public Library, 301 York St.
As officers clamped down on the curfew, some protesters sought refuge at the First Unitarian Church of Louisville, located on Spalding's cam
Back at Jefferson Square Park, where just a handful of protesters remained, officers with the Kentucky State Police stood in formation with shields and batons, seemingly to prevent the marchers from returning to the square.
8 p.m. Breonna Taylor's mom makes appearance at Jefferson Square
Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother, made a brief appearance at Jefferson Square Park, pausing before the memorial for her daughter.
Palmer, who has not spoken publicly since Wednesday's grand jury announcement, was wearing a black satin "Until Freedom" jacket over a white T-shirt with a picture of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and the words "Mitch's B----."
After snapping a few photos, Palmer departed the park, speaking to a Courier Journal reporter before she got into her car to leave. Thursday evening was the first time she’d been at the square since the grand jury decision, Palmer said.
“It’s crazy,” she said. “The love is still here.”
Palmer also recalled her feelings upon hearing that no officers would be indicted for their involvement in Taylor's death.
"Mad. Pissed. Upset. Hurt. A lot of emotions," she said. "I wasn’t surprised, though. I didn’t have faith in them to begin with. I was holding out hope."
Before leaving, Palmer remarked there was "still a lot of work to be done."
"It doesn’t end there," she said. "People need to get out and vote. Voting is going to get the change we need. Protesting is nothing if we don’t take it to the polls.”
7:30 p.m. Protesters confront armed "militia"
During a march through downtown Louisville Thursday evening, protesters in support of the Black Lives Matter movement confronted about a dozen armed counter-protesters — many of whom were dressed in military-style garb.
One of the counter-protesters, dressed in a camouflage helmet and a green vest, said he was from North Carolina and in town as a member of the "Oath Keepers." The group describes itself on its website as "a nonpartisan association of current and formerly serving military, police and first responders" whose goal is to "defend the Constitution."
The man said the group was there to keep the property of local businesses safe.
"We're not here to start nothing," he told reporters.
Several men carried long guns.
The Oath Keepers have been associated with far-right extremist groups, including the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes the Oath Keepers as "one of the largest radical anti-government groups in the U.S."
Protesters marching from Jefferson Square Park came across the Oath Keepers at a parking lot for the Hampton Inn on East Jefferson Street. While some from the march confronted the out-of-town group, others urged them to keep their distance.
"Back up! Don't be stupid!" one man yelled. "Walk through and keep moving. Do not engage these people with no guns!"
Louisville FOP weighs in on grand jury decision
The Louisville chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police issued a statement Thursday on the grand jury's findings in the Breonna Taylor case.
"The Fraternal Order of Police, as previously stated, believes that the LMPD Public Integrity Unit was conducting a thorough and unbiased investigation of this incident and that when the case was turned over to the attorney general his office completed a thorough and unbiased investigation," local President Ryan Nichols said in a statement.
"When the fact-based evidence was presented to the grand jury they decided that the officers were justified in using lethal force to protect themselves after Sgt. Mattingly was shot by Kenneth Walker," Nichols continued. "Tragically, Ms. Taylor was killed when these officers were forced to protect themselves from Mr. Walker."
Nichols went on to say in the statement that it is "extremely important that the grand jury recognized that state law allows law enforcement officers to protect themselves from these types of attacks while they protect and serve our citizenry every day."
He also said that though former LMPD detective Brett Hankinson was indicted with three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for shooting into another apartment, he is "innocent until proven guilty ... and deserves due process like every other citizen in our country."
Breonna Taylor's mother: 'It's still Breonna Taylor for me'
Breonna Taylor's mother didn't have much to say, but her words spoke volumes.
"It's still Breonna Taylor for me," Palmer wrote in an Instagram post Thursday afternoon, with two blue heart emojis and a red broken heart emoji. She followed that message with the hashtag "#ThesystemfailedBreonna."
Palmer isn't the only member of Taylor's family who has expressed disappointment in the aftermath of Wednesday's ruling.
Her cousin, Tawanna Gordon, told The Courier Journal on Wednesday that she wasn't surprised, but she was "mad as hell because nothing's changing."
Taylor's sister, Juniyah Palmer, wrote on Twitter on Wendesday that "they failed you, they failed me," in a post directed toward her sister.
The family of Taylor will have a press conference Friday morning at Jefferson Square Park at 10:30 a.m. to respond to the grand jury's decision.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear condemns Louisville shooting
During a Thursday press briefing, Gov. Andy Beshear said he condemns the shooting of two Louisville police officers Wednesday night "in the most stark terms."
"It is absolutely wrong," Beshear said. "... We need to ensure that any type of activity or demonstrations remain nonviolent and peaceful."
LMPD Maj. Aubrey Gregory and officer Robinson Desroches were identified Thursday by department officials as the two members of Louisville's police force who were injured in the shooting.
Gregory has been discharged from the hospital, and Desroches underwent surgery. Both are stable.
Read more about the officers and the shooting here.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rips grand jury decision
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo condemned the grand jury's decision not to indict any of the Louisville police officers for the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.
"Breonna Taylor's death was murder," Cuomo, a Democrat, said during a Thursday press briefing.
"It's outrageous," Cuomo continued. "If a person was murdered, then there's a murderer. That's how it works."
Amy McGrath calls on Daniel Cameron to release grand jury report
Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath called on state Attorney General Daniel Cameron Thursday to release the grand jury's report in the Breonna Taylor case.
"Breonna's family and Kentucky deserve to know what happened the night she was killed," McGrath wrote in a tweet. "The fact that the grand jury did not even consider charges in the events that led to her death created confusion and anger."
McGrath tweeted this out shortly after she visited Jefferson Square Park, the epicenter of Breonna Taylor protests, Thursday afternoon in downtown Louisville.
Read more about the demand here.
127 arrested amid Wednesday protests
Louisville police arrested 127 people during Wednesday protests following the announcement that just one of three Louisville Metro Police officers who fired shots in Breonna Taylor's apartment will be criminally charged, and one suspect was arrested after LMPD officials said two officers were shot that night.
Hundreds marched through Louisville following the 1:15 p.m. announcement that former officer Brett Hankison would be the only one at the center of the case to face charges. Some of those protesters clashed with police on Bardstown Road at about 4 p.m. Thirteen people were arrested at that scene, according to LMPD.
An additional 16 arrests were made downtown during the day, as department spokesman Lamont Washington said protesters moved a barricade at Sixth and Market streets to allow vehicles on to a closed downtown road before damaging multiple city vehicles.
More:Former Detective Brett Hankison faces 3 charges after Breonna Taylor shooting
The Breonna Taylor case: Everything you need to know and the latest news
LMPD reported a total of 46 had been taken into custody just after 11 p.m. but that number climbed higher as more people who had returned to Jefferson Square Park were detained at that time outside the downtown Louisville jail.
The Metro Corrections booking log website was not able to be accessed Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but department spokesman Lamont Washington said in a 2:20 a.m. update that the number of arrests, which took place over curfew and unlawful assembly violations, was "closer to 100." Fellow LMPD spokesman Dwight Mitchell told media members just before 8:30 a.m. that a total of 127 people had been arrested. Two Daily Caller reporters were among those taken into custody.
Police arrested one suspect in connection with the shooting that injured two police officers. Both victims were taken to the hospital and in stable condition, acting chief Robert Schroeder said Wednesday night.
The suspect in that shooting was identified Thursday morning as Larynzo Johnson, of Louisville. The two officers who were shot were identified as Maj. Aubrey Gregory and Robinson Desroches, a Second Division officer in his second year with the department. Both will recover, Schroeder said.
Here's what else we know about Wednesday's protests and what's happening Thursday:
US attorney speaks out after LMPD officers shot
Federal law enforcement officials are committed to protecting peaceful protesters, U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said Thursday in a statement. But what happened Thursday night, he said, was not peaceful.
"Shooting this city’s law enforcement officers, looting its businesses, and committing arson at the front door of its state courthouse is far from peaceable," Coleman said.
Two LMPD officers were injured in a shooting that left one suspect in custody late Wednesday, and police officials have said at least three businesses were burglarized over the course of the night. Several small fires were started downtown as well, including one at the Hall of Justice.
Coleman, who has spoken out against gun violence repeatedly in recent months as the city's homicide rate has spiked, said Louisville is going through a difficult time. That's no excuse, though, he continued, to take advantage of ongoing demonstrations to commit crimes.
"Cross the line from peaceful protest into federal criminal conduct that puts people at risk and we will do everything in our power to swiftly bring federal charges," Coleman said. "If you use lawful protest as a cover to harm this city, be prepared to stare down a federal judge."
Black Lives Matter Louisville doubles down on demands
Louisville's Black Lives Matter chapter said in a Thursday statement that their demands haven't changed following Wednesday's indictment of one of the three officers at the center of the Taylor case.
"We will no longer be silent or complicit to the injustices perpetuated in the name of white supremacy," the group's statement said. "Today, and for all the days to come, we will continue to demand justice, seek accountability, and fight for real change. The kind of change our city truly needs will only be possible when we fully invest in our people and divest from and defund the police."
Black Lives Matter Louisville has presented six demands in the wake of Taylor's shooting: fire and revoke the pensions of the three officers involved in Taylor's death, divest from LMPD and invest in community building, issue the immediate resignation or impeachment of Mayor Greg Fischer, end LMPD's use of force, create an independent civilian police accountability board with investigative and discipline powers and a new policy to ensure transparent investigations.
What Louisville police are saying
Washington, the LMPD spokesman, provided a 2:20 a.m. update that with details Louisville police say happened throughout the night.
Protests downtown were deemed unlawful before Louisville's curfew went into effect at 9 p.m. after several fires were set downtown, Washington said. Livestreams and photos taken at Jefferson Square Park around 8 p.m. showed several trash cans and garbage piles ablaze, including one near the downtown Hall of Justice.
'This city has failed us':Protesters angered over lack of indictments in Breonna Taylor case
Washington said "several locations" were looted in the early morning hours, including two City Gear clothing stores and a Preston Highway pawn shop. Washington said he expects to release more information about businesses police say were targeted on Thursday.
Local and national officials react
President Donald Trump and Gov. Andy Beshear were among those who weighed in Wednesday night as protests in Louisville became a national story.
Read this:How celebrities, public officials reacted to grand jury indictment in Breonna Taylor case
Trump, in a 10:44 p.m. Twitter post, said he was praying for the two officers who had been shot and that he had told Gov. Beshear that the federal government "stands behind you and is ready to help ... we are prepared to work together, immediately upon request!"
Beshear, meanwhile, in a video posted on his social media channels minutes earlier, said he understood many people were feeling "powerful emotions -- whether that's anger, frustration or concern." But he chastised the suspect in the shooting of LMPD officers and urged those in the crowd to go home.
"Please, go home. Go home tonight," Beshear said. "There will be many times over the coming days wherer there will be an opportunity to be heard, and so many people are listening right now."