LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An investigation has been launched into the actions of a Kentucky police officer who allegedly fired non-lethal rounds during a turbulent night of protests in 2020, on the same evening he was reprimanded for using chemical agents against a television news crew.
Officer Dustin Dean of the Louisville Police Department was issued a written reprimand last week for violating departmental guidelines regarding the use of force after he discharged non-lethal pepper rounds aimed at members of WAVE-TV who were covering the protests sparked by the tragic death of Breonna Taylor.
The Courier Journal reports that in light of new body camera footage examined as part of an ongoing lawsuit, queries were directed to the Louisville Police Department regarding Dean’s use of additional non-lethal rounds against protesters that same night.
In response, the Louisville Police Department acknowledged that their initial investigation only encompassed Dean’s interaction with the TV news team. A statement from the department indicated that the Chief of Police, Paul Humphrey, was recently made aware of incidents not included in the first inquiry, prompting the decision to initiate a new investigation. Specifics surrounding what led to this renewed scrutiny were not provided.
Further coverage from the newspaper confirmed that the body camera footage from May 29, 2020, depicted Dean employing a 40 mm non-lethal projectile launcher to target individuals, including a man who was retreating from the protest as well as demonstrators holding signs advocating for justice.
Additionally, it was noted that during the same event, there were instances of protesters launching water bottles and other projectiles at police. The FBI initially took the lead on investigating the incident involving the TV crew, and after a thorough three-year examination, they determined Dean did not commit any criminal acts. According to Chief Humphrey, Dean has been on administrative duty and had his police powers revoked throughout the lengthy investigation process.