2 teenagers injured in 'unintentional' shooting by Louisville police officer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two teenage boys were shot by a Louisville Metro Police officer Monday night in what the department currently believes is an "unintentional" shooting.

LMPD said in a press release that officers were called to the 800 block of South 38th Street, near Doerhoerfer Avenue in the Chickasaw neighborhood, around 6 p.m. Monday on a report from a community member that several juveniles had illegally entered a garage on a vacant property in what was believed to be a stolen car.

Officers drew their weapons when they arrived "due to multiple unknown threats," according to the press release. Shortly thereafter, the garage door opened, and several of the teenagers ran out.

"As one officer tried to detain the suspects, his service weapon discharged one bullet," police said. "The discharge is believed to have been unintentional."

Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a statement that he is being updated by Chief Gwinn-Villaroel on the investigation and that he has instructed the department to "release the body camera footage as soon as possible.”

"We are committed to transparency in this process and will provide more details to the public as the investigation progresses," said Greenberg. 

The mayor added that he is "relieved none of the officers involved were hurt and that the juveniles involved were not more seriously injured."

Police declined to name the officer during a press conference Tuesday. The juveniles were unarmed. 

One of the teenagers was caught, but refused to answer questions.

Police said "no evidence (on scene) presented itself that would alert officers on scene that anyone had been injured." But an hour later, LMPD said Norton Children's Hospital informed officers that a teenage boy was transported there by private means with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

Then, as officers responded to the hospital, LMPD was alerted to another teenage boy who'd arrived at Norton's Hospital Downtown with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

LMPD said the two teens gave conflicting statements about how they were shot, and both denied being at the scene on South 38th Street. Police said they later connected the teens to that scene by reviewing body camera footage and other evidence.

One LMPD officer was placed on administrative leave.

Department policy has called for cases in which an LMPD officer shoots someone to be investigated by Kentucky State Police. In Tuesday's news release, LMPD said KSP "instructed LMPD to conduct the investigation" in this case.

Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said the investigation will be turned over to KSP for review once completed, he said. 

Humphrey did not know why KSP decided not to take the lead on investigating this case. 

While the department has not made a determination yet on why the officer fired his weapon, Humphrey said officials believe it was "accidental." 

No charges have been filed yet against the four juveniles who were the scene, but Humphrey said the car was determined to have been stolen. The teens have since been released from the hospital.

Humphrey said the department was grateful and fortunate that no one was seriously injured. 

Police are still searching for one of the four suspects.

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