Louisville gunman who shot two cops after 'intentionally firing at officers' is charged with 'wanton endangerment' - the same charge issued against Breonna Taylor cop

Louisville gunman who shot two cops after 'intentionally firing at officers' is charged with 'wanton endangerment' - the same charge issued against Breonna Taylor cop - and not attempted murder

Larynzo Johnson was arrested Wednesday night after two cops were shot during protests over the grand jury decision

A suspected gunman has been charged with 'wanton endangerment' after two Louisville cops were shot during protests over the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to bring murder charges against the officers involved in Breonna's Taylor's death.

Larynzo Johnson, 26, was arrested Wednesday night over the cop shootings and charged with first-degree assault of a police officer and first-degree wanton endangerment - the latter being the very same charge brought against the only cop to be indicted over Taylor's slaying.

Only one officer Brett Hankison was charged in connection to the botched raid that resulted in Taylor being shot six times and killed in her apartment back in March.

He was handed just three counts of wanton endangerment - a far cry from the murder charges protesters and Taylor's family demanded.

The first-degree charge, a Class D felony which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, relates to Hankison shooting into the neighboring apartments during the incident.

No charges were brought against him in relation to the death of Taylor and the other two officers that fired 22 shots into the black EMT's home between them were not charged.

Johnson was charged with two counts of assault of a police officer and 14 counts of wanton endangerment after he shot at the officers Wednesday night, striking one in the thigh and the other in the abdomen below their bulletproof vest.

His arrest citation says Johnson 'intentionally used a handgun to fire multiple bullets at officers... causing serious physical injury' to two cops struck by the gunfire, reported the Courier Journal.

A total of 127 protesters were arrested during unrest in Taylor's home state of Louisville last night, with dozens more taken into custody amid demonstrations across America including in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

In Seattle, Washington state, 13 people were arrested on charges including property destruction, resisting arrest, failure to disperse and assault on a police officer after one cop was hit over the head with a baseball bat.

Meanwhile, shocking footage surfaced online of a Seattle cop pushing a bicycle over the head of a protester who was lying on the ground.

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A protester stands next to a burning pile of trash as tensions boiled over in Louisville's downtown area on Wednesday night

A burning trash can in Louisville amid a night of protests over the decision not to charge three cops with murder over Taylor's death in March

Protesters march down the streets of downtown Louisville in outrage that murder charges were not brought against cops involved in Taylor's slaying

A line of police officers in riot gear stand together and block the path of protesters outraged over the grand jury verdict

Two unidentified cops were shot when gunfire rung out and a suspect was taken into custody Wednesday night

Heavily-armed riot police stand guard in a street in downtown Louisville amid protests sparked by a Kentucky grand jury's decision to clear three officers of charges for the shooting death of Breonna Taylor

Protesters hurl water bottles and profanities at a police building in downtown Louisville on Wednesday night

By 11pm at least 46 people had been arrested in connection with protests, according to the LMPD

Officers mobilize to round up protesters breaking a city-wide curfew in downtown Louisville on Wednesday night

Police survey an area where two officers were shot in Louisville on Wednesday night

Protesters pass by a burning pile of trash as tensions boiled over in Louisville's downtown area on Wednesday night

A crowd of police clad in riot gear wait for orders as protests continued well past curfew on Wednesday night

Officers stand in the street shortly after shots were fired at police resulting in two injured officers

Police officers clad in riot gear form a wall as they move down a street in downtown Louisville searching for curfew-breakers

WHAT IS WANTON ENDANGERMENT?

What is the charge?

Charges of wanton endangerment are brought when a person is found to have recklessly engaged in conduct, without concern for human life, that puts a person at risk of death or serious injury.

'A person is guilty of wanton endangerment in the first degree when, under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, he wantonly engages in conduct which creates a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to another person,' state law says.

What is the penalty?

Wanton endangerment in Kentucky is a class D felony.

It can bring a sentence of up to five years in prison.

How are the charges related to the Breonna Taylor case?

The three counts of wanton endangerment were brought against Officer Brett Hankison after the bullets he fired inside Taylor's apartment traveled into a neighboring apartment.

Crime scene photos show the walls of Taylor's apartment riddled with bullet holes.

WHAT IS WANTON ENDANGERMENT?

What is the charge?

Charges of wanton endangerment are brought when a person is found to have recklessly engaged in conduct, without concern for human life, that puts a person at risk of death or serious injury.

What is the penalty?

Wanton endangerment in Kentucky is a class D felony.

It can bring a sentence of up to five years in prison.

How are the charges related to the Breonna Taylor case?

The three counts of wanton endangerment were brought against Officer Brett Hankison after the bullets he fired inside Taylor's apartment traveled into a neighboring apartment.

Crime scene photos show the walls of Taylor's apartment riddled with bullet holes.

Louisville was thrown into turmoil after a grand jury decided not to charge the officers. Instead, it handed down its decision to indict just one of the officers involved in Taylor's killing, Brett Hankison, on charges of wanton endangerment for shooting into the homes of the 26-year-old EMT's neighbors when they executed a warrant on March 13.

Hundreds of protesters began marching through the streets immediately after the announcement. Tensions quickly boiled over as protesters confronted lines of police officers who fired pepper balls and used wooden batons to drive them back.

Hundreds of demonstrators also took to the streets of cities like New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Las Vegas following the decision.

Cellphone footage captured the moment a cop in Seattle pushes his bike over the head of a protester during demonstrations in the city.

The shocking video shows a wall of cops cycling and pushing bikes or walking down the road.

A protester is seen lying on the road as a cop wheels his bike over their head.

Seattle Police said it was aware of the video and had referred the incident to the city's Office of Police Accountability for investigation.

The department also said 'multiple officers' were hurt during the night's events.

One officer was struck over the head with a baseball bat, causing their helmet to crack, police said.

Clashes also erupted between protesters and law enforcement in other parts of America with authorities unleashing chemical agents on Atlanta demonstrators after they tried to climb on a SWAT vehicle.

In Buffalo, New York, a protester was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a driver in a pickup truck accelerated into a group of demonstrators outside City Hall striking a person on a bicycle.

People chased down the vehicle as the driver fled the scene.

Protesters claimed the woman driver had been shouting at them earlier in the night.

Over in Portland, which has been the scene of ongoing protests calling for an end to police brutality and racism since the 'murder' of George Floyd by a cop in Minneapolis on Memorial Day, police declared a riot after some demonstrators set fire to a police precinct.

Wednesday's grand jury announcement marked the end of a four-month investigation into the death of Taylor, who was shot and killed over six months ago by officers who stormed into her home with a narcotics warrant.

The EMT's death set off months of protests, policy changes and a call for the three Louisville Metro Police Department officers who performed the raid to be criminally charged.

The grand jury chose to charge Hankison with three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. The Class D felony, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, relates to Hankinson shooting into the neighboring apartments during the raid, not Taylor's death.

Hankinson was fired by the Louisville Metro Police Department in June after officials said he violated policy by 'wantonly and blindly' firing his gun during the raid.

Sgt Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, who were also present at the time of the fatal operation, were not charged.

In Jefferson Square Park in Louisville, people were seen breaking down in tears and screaming when the decision arrived as law enforcement helicopters surveyed the scene from above.

Cellphone footage captured the moment a cop in Seattle pushes his bike over the head of a protester during demonstrations in the city

The shocking video shows a wall of cops cycling and pushing bikes or walking down the road while a protester is seen lying on the road. The cop then wheels his bike over the person's head

Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron slams 'celebrities, influencers and activists' for telling people 'how to feel' about outcome of Breonna Taylor case - despite having never lived in the state

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has called out 'celebrities, influencers and activists' for weighing in on the grand jury findings in the Breonna Taylor case

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron called out 'celebrities, influencers and activists' for weighing in on the grand jury findings in the Breonna Taylor case, saying they will 'try to tell us how to feel.'

Cameron, who is on Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee shortlist, was speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in which he announced that a grand jury grand jury brought no charges against Louisville police for the killing of Breonna Taylor in March.

'Each is unique and cannot be compared,' Cameron said, going on to predict an inevitable outcry from celebrities over the grand jury findings.

'There will be celebrities, influencers, and activists who having never lived in Kentucky, will try to tell us how to feel, suggesting they understand the facts of this case and that they know our community and the commonwealth better than we do. But they don't,' he said.

'Let's not give into their attempts to influence our thinking or capture our emotions. At the end of the day, if is up to us. We live here together,' Cameron added.

Cameron said that his job is 'to set aside everything in pursuit of the truth.'

'Our reaction to the truth is the society we want to be,' he said. 'Do we really want the truth? Or do we want a truth that fits our narrative? Do we want the facts? Are we content to blindly accept our own version of events? We, as a community, must make this decision.'

Cameron, a Republican, is considered a rising star in the party, and was praised by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, who said he handled the Taylor case 'very well.'

The grand jury indicted one of the three officers who fired during the March 13 raid, charging Brett Hankison on three counts of wanton endangerment for alleged wild shots that entered a neighboring apartment.

The other two officers were not charged, with the grand jury finding that their actions were justified after Taylor's boyfriend first opened fire, striking one officer.

Celebrities including actress Viola Davis, 'Schitt's Creek' creator and star Dan Levy, actor George Clooney, rapper Common, and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James have expressed outrage at the grand jury decision.

Davis expressed her outrage online, calling the outcome a 'Bulls*** decision!!!'

'BLACK LIVES MATTER !!! Cannot be said enough times,' the Oscar-winning actress, 55, went on, also reposting messages from the NAACP and TV One.

'Scandal' star Kerry Washington expressed her anger while sharing a post by the ACLU, which said: 'Today's verdict is not accountability and not close to justice.'

Later she criticized Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron for acting politically, tweeting: 'Daniel Cameron is on Donald Trump´s short list as replacement of #RGB on the Supreme Court. The same man who decided to not charge the officers responsible for killing #BreonnaTaylor. Vote.'

Levy wrote in a tweet that he was 'Disgusted. Enraged. Heartbroken,' over the decision, and encouraged his followers to donate to a bail fund for protesters in Louisville. 'Please contribute if you can. Justice should not be a luxury,' Levy wrote.

Clooney, a Kentucky native, said he was 'ashamed' of the grand jury's decision.

'The justice system I was raised to believe in holds people responsible for their actions,' Clooney said in a statement to Deadline.

'Her name was Breonna Taylor and she was shot to death in her bed by 3 white police officers, who will not be charged with any crime for her death. I know the community. I know the commonwealth. And I was taught in the schools and churches of Kentucky what is right and what is wrong. I'm ashamed of this decision,' said Clooney.

NBA star James tweeted: 'I've been lost for words today! I'm devastated, hurt, sad, mad! We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her beautiful life. Was I surprised at the verdict. Absolutely not but d***it I was & still am hurt and heavy hearted!'

Director Ava DuVernay sent a compassionate message to Breonna's loved ones, tweeting: 'God bless Breonna's family and all who knew and loved her.

'Her tragic death compounded by the violence of silence and inaction by the city she called home is more than any of them should have to endure.

Give back: 'Disgusted. Enraged. Heartbroken,' Dan Levy wrote, then urging followers to contribute to the Louisville Community Bail Fund

Common shared a poignant quote from writer James Baldwin, tweeting: ''To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a state of rage almost all of the time.' James Baldwin. #BreonnaTaylor.'

He followed up with another searing quote from Malcolm X, which said: 'If you stick a knife in my back 9 in and pull it out 6 in, there's no progress.

'If you pull it all the way out, that's not progress. The progress is healing the wound that the blow made. They won't even admit the knife is there.'

MLK's daughter Bernice King herself shared her grief for Taylor's family, writing: 'Praying for Breonna's mother and family. Because they knew and loved her before her name became a hashtag.'

Top Chef host/judge Padma Lakshmi wrote: 'What we saw today was not justice. May Breonna Taylor's spirit rest in power as we all continue the fight #justiceforbreonnataylor.'

Actress Yvette Nicole Brown was incensed, writing: 'No. Officers. Charged. In. The. Killing. Of. #BreonnaTaylor. One. Was. Charged. For. Endangering. But. NOT. Killing. Her. Neighbors. #MakeMeWannaHollerAndThrowUpBothMyHands.'

Singer/This Is Us star Mandy Moore was speechless, telling the public: 'I don´t have the words. #BreonnaTaylor and her family deserve justice.'

On Instagram Mandy shared a portrait Breonna with the caption voicing her support for Black Lives Matter, captioning the post: 'Today's news is devastating and infuriating and indicative of a miserably broken system.

'Breonna Taylor's life had value. She and her family deserve justice. Black women matter. Black Lives matter.'

'So, no one is responsible for killing #BreonnaTaylor ?' wondered Mia Farrow.

Other protests erupted in cities nationwide as thousands gathered to decry the Taylor decision.

In New York City, hundreds of people descended on the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where they took a knee in Taylor's honor and listened to various activists speak, and outside Grand Central Station in Manhattan.

To the north in Buffalo, a protester was hit by a pickup truck during a demonstration in the city's Niagara Square. The protester was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, officials said, and the driver of the truck was pulled over.

In Illinois, Gov J.B. Pritzker said had spoken to the National Guard about being prepared for protests and was in touch with Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago.

About 300 people gathered in Palmer Square Park on Chicago's northwest side before setting off on a march Wednesday evening, chanting Taylor's name. The march was monitored by police officers on bicycles.

Other demonstrators gathered in downtown's Millennium Park chanting demands for justice as passing motorists on Michigan Avenue honked their horns.

Activist priest the Rev Michael Pfleger told protesters gathered in the middle of an intersection that they should peacefully let those who represent the status quo know of their unhappiness with the Taylor decision.

'We're here tonight because we do care,' Pfleger said. 'And we're here because we want to say: 'We object and we don't accept it. Somebody has to be held accountable.''

In Atlanta, Georgia State Police were seen deploying tear gas canisters on protesters who refused to disperse.

Another large crowd formed in the nation's capital of Washington DC as city officials started shutting down streets.

A timeline of events related to the shooting death of Breonna Taylor

- March 13: Officers serving a narcotics warrant fatally shoot Taylor in her home in Louisville, Kentucky.

- March 13, hours later: Police announce the arrest of Kenneth Walker in the wounding of an officer during an exchange of gunfire; Taylor is left unidentified at the news conference, described as 'an unresponsive woman who was later pronounced dead.'

- March, April: The shooting stays out of the headlines as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads in the U.S.

- April 27, Taylor's family files wrongful death lawsuit against police department and city, challenging the police narrative.

- May 13: Top Louisville prosecutor Tom Wine recuses himself from reviewing police investigation, Attorney General Daniel Cameron named as special prosecutor.

- May 22: Prosecutors announce they will drop attempted murder charges against Walker, who shot at officers in his girlfriend's home.

- May 28: Walker's anguished 911 call is released, three days after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota, sparking large protests in Louisville.

- May 29: Mayor Greg Fischer suspends use of no-knock warrants by Louisville police.

- June 1: Fischer fires Police Chief Steve Conrad after officers failed to turn on body cameras in shooting of barbecue cook David McAtee during protests in Louisville.

- June 11: Louisville Metro Council unanimously passes 'Breonna´s Law' which bans use of no knock warrants.

- June 14: Pop star Beyoncé writes Attorney General Daniel Cameron, urging him to charge police officers.

- June 23: Officer Brett Hankison, one of 3 officers who fired shots the night of Taylor's death, is fired for 'blindly' firing into Taylor´s apartment.

- June 25: Celebrities join hundreds of demonstrators outside state Capitol calling on Cameron to charge officers.

- June 28: Photographer Tyler Gerth is fatally shot at site of ongoing protests in downtown Louisville.

- July 14: Protesters are arrested for demonstrating on Cameron´s front lawn.

- August 12: Taylor´s mother, Tamika Palmer, meets with Cameron.

- September 5: Hundreds peacefully protest outside Kentucky Derby, urging Cameron to criminally charge the officers.

- September 7: Fischer names Yvette Gentry, first Black woman to lead Louisville Police department, as interim chief beginning Oct. 1.

- September 9: Cameron is included on President Donald Trump's shortlist of Supreme Court candidates.

- September 15: City announces civil settlement providing Taylor´s family with $12 million and promising police reforms.

- September 22: Louisville police set up blockades downtown in anticipation of Cameron's announcement.

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