Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

2 Louisville Officers Shot During Rioting Over Breonna Taylor Ruling

Two officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department were shot and wounded as what had been a mostly peaceful protest during daylight hours devolved into a violent riot after the sun set and a government-issued curfew loomed over the city.

September 24, 2020
2 Louisville Officers Shot During Rioting Over Breonna Taylor Ruling

Officer Robinson Desroches, left, and Major Aubrey Gregory, right, of the Louisville Metro Police Department were shot and wounded Wednesday night. (Photo: LMPD)

2 min to read


Two officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department were shot and wounded Wednesday night as what had been a mostly peaceful protest during daylight hours devolved into a riot after the sun set and a government-issued curfew loomed over the city.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, the officers--LMPD Maj. Aubrey Gregory and Officer Robinson Desroches were shot around 8:30 p.m. Both are listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries and one suspect—identified as 26-year-old Larynzo Johnson—has been taken into custody. Johnson is expected to be arraigned Friday morning.

Ad Loading...

Multiple small fires were ignited in trash cans near the center of the city. Most businesses had boarded up their storefronts in the hours before the anticipated announcement of the findings of the grand jury, so damage to commercial spaces was mostly mitigated. However, nearly 130 people were arrested during the overnight unrest.

Former Detective Brett Hankison faces three charges of wanton endangerment in the incident that left Breonna Taylor dead, but those charges are not directly related to her death. They stem from the accusation that Hankison allegedly acted outside of department policy when he fired his service pistol through a closed door. Three of his rounds went into surrounding occupied apartments.

Agency policy requires a clear line of sight to an intended target—a closed door would prevent that capability. Chief Robert Schroeder said that he terminated Hankison's employment with the agency after a brief investigation into the incident, saying that Hankinson had "fired indiscriminately" into Taylor's apartment as well as into adjoining units.  

Hankison was booked into the Shelby County Detention Center on Wednesday afternoon and released about half an hour later after posting a $15,000 cash bond.

Hankison is the only LMPD officer to be fired for his role in the fatal raid at Taylor's apartment. The other two officers who fired their weapons at Taylor's apartment during the incident—Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove—will not face criminal charges and remain on the force.

Ad Loading...

All three officers at the scene were returning fire after a man in the apartment—identified as Kenneth Walker—shot one of the officers attempting to serve a warrant on the residence.

Protests in other cities across the country—including New York and Los Angeles—also resulted in some levels of violence, but Louisville was the epicenter of the demonstrations and rioting following the grand jury's ruling. Officials in Louisville are bracing for additional nights of violence as the weekend approaches.

 

Ad Loading...

More Patrol

Black background, outline of Florida, headline 2 Officers Shot
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJanuary 14, 2026

2 Florida Officers Shot After Shots-Fired Call

Two officers were shot in Gainesville, Florida, by a man who police say was leaving an area where he had killed a man inside a business. The suspect exited his vehicle in what the chief termed an “ambush-style” attack.

Read More →
Blue-tinted background photo of hand hanging up an office phone and headline Richmond Heights PD: Harassment and Threats Will Be Addressed Accordingly
PatrolJanuary 14, 2026

Mistaken Identity: Ohio Police Department Harassed After ICE OIS

An Ohio police department has received harassing phone calls and social media messages because it has an officer with the same name as the ICE officer identified in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, officer-involved shooting.

Read More →
Black background with POLICE logo, police light bar, and headline Top 10 Videos of 2025.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJanuary 7, 2026

Top 10 POLICE Videos of 2025

What were the top videos published by POLICE in 2025? Many covered tactics and officer safety, while others came from booth visits at IACP in Denver, Colorado. In case you missed these, here are the top 10 videos.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue tinted background of a police dispatcher with headline Flock Safety + Coreforce Integation
TechnologyJanuary 7, 2026

Flock Safety and Coreforce Partner to Enhance Real-Time Awareness and Operational Efficiency for Law Enforcement

A new integration partnership will enable Flock Safety hotlist alerts and license plate recognition (LPR) searches directly in Coreforce’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) platform.

Read More →
three background images - man in tactical gear, image of ballistic helmet, photo of police officer in tactical gear approaching a car, and a circle with logo for Ballistic Armor Co.
PatrolJanuary 7, 2026

Ballistic Armor Co. Secures Strategic Investment to Expand U.S. Production Capabilities

Ballistic Armor Co. secured a new commitment that will accelerate its multi-year transition from a third-party tactical equipment retailer to a premium innovator and U.S. manufacturer of advanced protective systems.

Read More →
image of men on bicycles and women competing in martial arts and a log for the US Police & Fire Championships
PatrolDecember 10, 2025

Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility

The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactic & TIps against a black background and an illuminated police car light bar. Headline for Tips for Watching the Hands
Sponsoredby Wayne ParhamDecember 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Read More →
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips with yellow headline 10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops.
Sponsoredby Wayne ParhamDecember 3, 2025

10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops

What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Read More →
Screenshot of compute screen showing a blurred license plate compared to an image where the image has been enhanced to show the numbers and letters.
Patrolby Edited by StaffNovember 25, 2025

Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software

Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Background orange tinted image of southern California with pushpin marking Burbank. Headline reads K-9 Killed by Gunman, Burbank Police Department
PatrolNovember 24, 2025

Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops

A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.

Read More →