Kentucky governor orders investigation into fatal police shooting of David McAtee News
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Kentucky governor orders investigation into fatal police shooting of David McAtee

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear ordered an investigation Monday into the fatal police shooting of David McAtee.

Beshear called for the release of body camera footage. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced that officers on the scene did not activate their body cameras. Fischer subsequently fired Louisville Police Chief Steve Conrad.

The investigation will be a joint effort between the FBI Louisville Field Office and the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.

David McAtee, a Black man, was the owner of YaYa’s Barbecue in the West End of Lousiville, Kentucky. He was shot and killed by police officers early Monday morning after the National Guard and the police exchanged gunfire with unknown persons.

The officers were deployed to enforce the city-wide curfew and disperse a group of people in the West End area of Lousiville. However, the most significant of the protests in Louisville at the time were taking place downtown, approximately 20 blocks away.

The Courier-Journal reported that it is unclear whether the gathering of people was a demonstration.

McAtee’s death comes amid nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week.