LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Civil rights activists gathered Sunday to push prosecutors to seek federal hate crime charges for a man accused of shooting two African-Americans at a Louisville Kroger.
The group, organized by the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression, bemoaned what they believe was a delay in classifying the Wednesday shooting as a hate crime.
“We as a community need to send the message that this is not acceptable, and therefore this individual should not be allowed to use mental illness, as an excuse to escape justice,” said Tyra Walker, of the Kentucky Alliance.
The accused shooter, 51-year-old Gregory A. Bush Sr., has a history of mental illness, made racist threats and repeatedly called his ex-wife the N-word, according to court records.
69-year-old Maurice Stallard and 67-year-old Vicki Lee Jones, both of whom were African-American, were killed.
Initially, police and local leaders did not classify the shooting as a hate crime, but prosecutors say federal hate crime charges are now possible.
“I do believe it’s a hate crime, I do believe it’s an act of terrorism,” Louisville Metro Council President David James said. “It hurts us to our core, to the core of our city. “
The civil rights leaders also urged lawmakers to revisit gun control legislation.
“We appeal to our legislators and our policy makers to look at these charges and laws that allow people that should have guns, guns,” said Kumar Rashad, of Sowers of Justice.
On several occasions, court records show judges ordered Bush's guns taken from him, and a domestic violence conviction in 2009 prevents him from legally owning a firearm.
The meeting ended with calls for attorneys to prosecute Bush to the fullest extent the law allows.
“Stand up to these terrorists because we are not afraid of you. And we will never be afraid of you and we're not going to allow you to tear us apart ... and we're going to continue this movement,” Rashad said.
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