Katie Crews Louisville cop in David McAtee shooting death mocked Kentucky protesters on Facebook days before YaYa’s BBQ Shack chef was killed. 2nd officer Austin Allen along with Crews placed on admin leave.
A Kentucky police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a black business owner mocked demonstrators days earlier on Facebook, according to a report.
Louisville Police Officer Katie Crews — who was put on administrative leave after returning fire early Monday on a large crowd during protests for the police-involved deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, killing David McAtee — shared her thoughts on demonstrators days prior to the deadly shooting, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.
Crews posted a photo (see images below) Thursday of a female protester offering her flowers as she stood watch in Louisville while city residents demanded change in the aftermath of Taylor’s death in March, the media outlet reports.
‘She was saying and doing a lot more than ‘offering flowers’ to me,’ Crews wrote at the time, according to screenshots circulating online. ‘Just so for it to be known. For anyone that knows me and knows that my facial expression tells everything.’
Crews’ post continued: ‘P.S. I hope the pepper balls that she got lit up with a little later on hurt … Come back and get ya some more ole girl, I’ll be on the line again tonight.’
this is louisville metro police officer katie crews, who murdered david mcatee at his own restaurant last night. #blm pic.twitter.com/FeYoaiefwH
— chuck (@anakinapoIogist) June 2, 2020
‘It’s very clear that many people do not trust the police.’
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said LMPD and the National Guard were breaking up a large group early Monday when someone fired at them. National Guard members and two law enforcement then returned fire, including Crews, killing McAtee, 53, who owned YaYa’s BBQ Shack near where the shooting occurred.
Mayor Greg Fischer called McAtee a wonderful citizen, and said many knew him as ‘the BBQ man.’ Witnesses say McAtee, known for serving cops free meals had been attempting to disperse crowds when he was shot.
Schroeder, who took over the department after Police Chief Steve Conrad was fired because the cops didn’t activate their body cameras, is aware of the post and has launched an investigation into the matter, the Courier-Journal reports.
‘It’s very clear that many people do not trust the police. That is an issue we’re going to work on and work through,’ Conrad said immediately following McAtee’s shooting death.
David McAtee shooting: Officer Katie Crews appears to mock protester https://t.co/i8ycTvBxmT
— Public Domain Kitten (@GenXMedia) June 2, 2020
It was later learned that none of the LMPD officers present had their cameras activated – it remained unclear why officers went again department policy and whether Conrad was aware of such actions.
Crews, who joined the department two years ago, does not have any prior disciplinary against her.
The other officer involved in McAtee’s shooting death was identified as Austin Allen, who has also been placed on administrative leave, WAVE reports.
Investigators from the FBI, Kentucky State Police and the US Attorney’s Office will assist in a probe of McAtee’s death, WLKY reports.
Seven people were shot the first day of protests in Louisville. The first few days resulted in heavy damage, vandalism and small fires around the city.
Gov. Andy Beshear has encouraged peaceful protests moving forward.
