Louisville Police Chief Fired for Officers' Failure to Activate Bodycams During Fatal Shooting Incident

The Mayor of Louisville fired the city's Chief of Police Steve Conrad after officers failed to record a shooting on their bodycams.

The officers killed David McAtee, locally known as the "BBQ man", while firing into a crowd after curfew on Monday night.

McAtee, who owns the nearby YaYa's BBQ Shack, was known to give police officers free meals at his restaurant.

Deputy Chief Robert Schroeder commented:

"Over the years he's been a good friend to the police officers … frequently making sure our officers had a good meal on their shifts."

Anti-violence activist Christopher 2X described McAtee.

"I've never known him to be aggressive in any kind of way."

The officers were responding to gunfire from nearby.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear demanded bodycam footage of the incident be released for investigation.

Shortly thereafter, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer revealed officers either failed to turn on their bodycams or turned them off, a serious breach of policy.

The addition of bodycams has been a valuable tool for policing. But police turning off or failing to turn on their bodycams is a serious issue, like in the death of Zachary Bear Heels where Omaha police officers also broke department policy regarding bodycams.

Fischer said:

"This type of institutional failure will not be tolerated. Accordingly, I have relieved Steve Conrad of his duties as chief of Louisville Metro Police Department."

Conrad was already resigning, with plans to leave the force next month.

Governor Beshear spoke out against the lack of bodycam footage:

"This is the entire reason that we have those cameras. And every other officers' cameras should be reviewed, and if they captured any part of the scene it ought to be released."

State and federal prosecutors will also be investigating the shooting.

US Attorney Russell Coleman issued a statement saying:

"We understand this community's need for answers and we will assess all the information, and will take any appropriate action that is warranted by the facts and the law."

David McAtee deserves justice.