Questions linger after Louisville police release body cam video of Bardstown Road shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Body camera footage released Monday by Louisville Metro Police showed a shooting on Bardstown Road involving officers, but there are still many unanswered questions. 

The video focused on a traffic stop near the Highlands on Friday, Dec. 19. Officers were conducting the stop, when an officer fired shots after seeing an exchange of gunfire between two drivers that had been speeding down Bardstown Road moments before. 

LMPD said the man, later identified as 36-year-old Winthrop Taylor, went on a dangerous crime spree, which didn't end with the shots fired by an officer. 

The footage shows two LMPD officers conducting the unrelated traffic stop near the Krispy Kreme on Bardstown Road. That's when a driver in a Tahoe pulled up to the officers honking. Video captured the man getting out of his car and shooting at the other vehicle driven by Taylor. Taylor returned fire at the man.

Officer Nicholas Fischer heard the volley of gunfire and fired shots toward the driver of the Tahoe. It's unclear if any shots were fired directly at the officers.

The driver of the Tahoe was shot in both arms and was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. Police said it's still not known if his injuries came from shots fired by Taylor or the officer. 

After he was shot, the victim told police, "He shot at me. Please help me. I've got kids. Please help me." Body camera footage shows the victim then tell officers, "I shouldn't have got out shooting. Y'all wouldn't have shot me."

Police said the man isn't facing any charges in the incident. LMPD is hoping to recover parts of the bullets used in the shooting to identify who shot the victim.

[WATCH: LMPD Bardstown Rd. Officer-Involved Shooting Raw from 12/19/25]

Taylor's alleged crime spree

According to court records, Taylor was arrested after a three-hour crime spree. LMPD and court records previously rolled out a chaotic timeline of what investigators determined had happened.

The dangerous night started around 11:30 p.m. Thursday, when police say Taylor carjacked a woman. He allegedly approached the woman, held a gun to her, and told her to get out of her car. Taylor then told her to get back into the car, and he drove off until he hit a curb, rendering the car no longer drivable.

Taylor got out of the car with the victim and went to 310 E. Broadway. According to his citation, the victim told police she witnessed Taylor rob another person for his car. Taylor yelled and threatened the woman to get into that car.

The officer-involved shooting followed at 12:30 a.m. near the Krispy Kreme, as Taylor allegedly fled the scene.

Then around 2:10 a.m., according to his citation, Taylor carjacked another person at gunpoint. The man from the first carjacking Thursday night was released and called 911.

Police found Taylor at 2:15 a.m. after leading police on a short chase where he reportedly tried to get on the Watterson Expressway near Bardstown Road. Taylor hit a barrier in the stolen car and then got out and started running across the expressway.

He was tracked to the Addison Park Apartments off Trafalgar Square and was found in a crawl space. Police sent a K-9 in after him. Police said Taylor grabbed the K-9 by its neck and tried to hold it underwater. That's when officers "engaged him," according to the citation.

Taylor was arrested at 7:19 a.m. He is facing numerous charges including attempted murder, robbery, two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, unlawful imprisonment and fleeing police.

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