Officers shot in downtown Louisville identified

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Two officers who were shot in downtown Louisville Wednesday night have been identified.

During a press briefing Thursday morning, Louisville Metro Police Department interim chief Robert Schroeder said major Aubrey Gregory and officer Robinson Desroches were shot.

The shots were fired around 8:40 p.m. while officers were conducting crowd control at Brook Street and Broadway after a large crowd had set fires, damaged property and failed to disperse after being warned following an announcement by a grand jury in the Breonna Taylor case, according to police.

Gregory was treated at University of Louisville Hospital and released. Schroeder said Gregory joined LMPD in February of 1999 and has been one of the leaders of protest efforts.

Desroches was shot in the abdomen. He was also taken to UofL Hospital where Schroeder said he remains and is stable.

Desroches joined LMPD in March of 2019 and works in 2nd division.

Schroeder said both officers will survive their injuries

Larynzo D. Johnson, 26, of Louisville, was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer and 14 counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer in connection to the shooting.

According to Schroeder, 127 arrests were made in connection to the protests Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

Schroeder also said there were 16 instances of looting including locations on Broadway, Preston Highway, Outer Loop and Poplar Level Road.

Mayor Greg Fischer also spoke at the event and urged protesters to remain peaceful.

“Violence is not the answer,” he said.

He continued, “We never had control over what attorney general or the grand jury would do, we don’t have control over what the FBI will do with its investigation. We do have control over what happens next in our city.”