In the early hours of June 1, 2020, David McAtee, a 53-year-old Black man, was fatally shot in the doorway of his popular barbecue restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. The city was under a curfew amid protests for racial justice. That night, a crowd had gathered at the intersection of 26th Street and Broadway, a location that included McAtee's business, YaYa's BBQ Shack.
Members of the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Kentucky National Guard were dispatched to the area to disperse the crowd.
The situation escalated when law enforcement began using non-lethal force. LMPD officer Katie Crews fired pepper balls into the area, some of which struck McAtee’s niece who was near the entrance to the restaurant. As his niece retreated inside, McAtee stepped into the doorway. Surveillance video shows him raising his arm, and authorities state he fired a handgun. In response, two LMPD officers and two National Guardsmen discharged their weapons, firing at least 19 shots in McAtee's direction. An investigation later determined that a single bullet from a National Guard member's rifle struck McAtee in the chest, killing him. For hours after the shooting, his body remained at the scene as police conducted their investigation.
The investigation into David McAtee's death was complex and resulted in no state charges being filed against the officers or National Guard soldiers involved. The Commonwealth's Attorney announced that the use of force was justified because McAtee had fired his weapon first. A significant point of contention was that the two LMPD officers who fired their weapons, Katie Crews and Austin Allen, had not activated their body cameras, a violation of department policy that led to the firing of the police chief.
While no state charges were brought in relation to McAtee's death, former officer Katie Crews faced federal charges for her actions just prior to the fatal shooting. She was accused of using unreasonable force by firing pepper balls at McAtee's niece. Crews pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of deprivation of rights under color of law. As part of her plea agreement, she was sentenced to two years of probation and is prohibited from working in law enforcement again. McAtee's family also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and law enforcement, which was settled for $745,000.
