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1 Fatally Shot, 1 Injured At Park Where Protesters Gathered For Breonna Taylor

A painting of Breonna Taylor is projected onto a government building near Jefferson Square Park during a protest on June 5, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. One person was killed and another injured after shots were fired where protesters gathered at the park on June 26, 2020.
Brett Carlsen Getty Images
A painting of Breonna Taylor is projected onto a government building near Jefferson Square Park during a protest on June 5, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. One person was killed and another injured after shots were fired where protesters gathered at the park on June 26, 2020.

One person has been killed and another injured after shots were fired in a Louisville, Ky., park where demonstrators gathered to protest the police killing of Breonna Taylor.

The Louisville Metro Police Department said shots were fired shortly after 9:00 p.m. ET in Jefferson Square Park. The Sheriff's Department arrived to perform life-saving measures on a man who died at the scene. LMPD also received a call about another shooting victim at the Hall of Justice, across the street from the park. An individual was transported from the Hall of Justice to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Jefferson Square Park has been at the center of protests in the city following the police killings of Taylor and George Floyd. Taylor was at her Louisville apartment with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, on March 13 when police arrived to execute a warrant in the middle of the night. Walker's lawyer said he fired at police after mistaking them for robbers. Officers returned fire and Taylor was shot multiple times and later died.

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The city's Metro Council voted unanimously to ban no-knock warrants following her death. The legislation was named Breonna's Law in the 26-year-old's honor.

According to WFPL, a graphic video posted on Facebook appeared to show a man firing a pistol several times into the crowd of protesters. The Saturday night shooting was not the first time protesters were injured in the city. Seven people were shot on May 28 near the same area.

On Facebook, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said he was "deeply saddened" by the incident and that he would provide more information on the incident on Sunday.

"It is a tragedy that this area of peaceful protest is now a crime scene," he wrote. "My thanks to the first responders who assisted at the scene."

LMPD said the park would remain closed for several hours as police investigate the incident. An update is expected Sunday morning.

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