Louisville Officer Fires Pepper Rounds at Media During Protests
- In May 2020, during protests for Breonna Taylor, a police officer fired pepper rounds at a TV crew.
- Officer Dustin Dean faced an FBI investigation that lasted three years but resulted in no criminal charges.
- The officer received a reprimand for violating the use of force policy after internal departmental investigations.
In May 2020, amidst growing protests in Louisville, Kentucky, over the death of Breonna Taylor, a police officer fired two rounds of pepper balls at a television camera crew from WAVE-TV. This incident occurred during the first night of protests which had sparked just hours earlier following Taylor’s shooting by Louisville police. Following the incident, Officer Dustin Dean was reassigned while the FBI conducted an investigation lasting three years. Ultimately, the FBI chose not to file criminal charges against him. However, the Louisville Police Department's Professional Standards Unit subsequently investigated Dean and concluded that he violated the department's use of force policy regarding chemical agents. As a result, he received a letter of reprimand. Police Chief Paul Humphrey stated that the situation that night was chaotic and stressful, indicating it was difficult for officers, including Dean, to assess the environment as they were wearing gas masks and visibility was poor.