The barbecue chef who was killed after firing a gun amid George Floyd protests in Kentucky was shot by a member of the National Guard, authorities said Wednesday.
David McAtee, 31, was shot at his barbecue restaurant in Louisville on May 31 when police and National Guard members responded to a large crowd gathered at the location, which is miles from where protesters were marching in the city’s downtown.
J. Michael Brown, an official in the state’s executive cabinet, said state police officials examined the shrapnel pulled from McAtee after the shooting and determined it came from a National Guard rifle.
“So it’s clear, the fatal shot came from the National Guard,” Brown said. “We have no doubt about that.”
Brown added that he believes the National Guard members were “returning fire” when they shot McAtee.
“I believe Mr. McAtee fired the first shot, paused, and then fired another shot,” Brown said.
McAtee was hit in the chest and died at the scene, police said. Investigators recovered two shell casings near his body — as well as several shell casings from slugs fired by local police.
Investigators have ruled out the possibility that McAtee was hit by a bullet fired by a police officer.
A lawyer for McAtee called for investigators to release all video of the shooting.
Louisville police and state police are investigating the circumstances of the shooting.
With Post wires