BLM leader in Breonna Taylor protests fatally shot in carjacking

Hamza 'Travis' Nagdy was killed in the early morning hours on Monday in Louisville

Nov 23, 2020

Hamza ‘Travis’ Nagdy was a prominent leader in Black Lives Matter protests demanding justice for Breonna Taylor. Sadly, he was killed during a suspected car jacking on Monday in Louisville, Kentucky.

The 21-year-old Arab American was fatally shot just before 12:30 a.m. EST on Nov. 23, on Crittenden Drive, USA Today reports. He was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Investigators with the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) are allegedly investigating, and no suspects have been identified.

What makes Nadgy’s death more tragic is that he had a rough childhood. He was raised in foster care and spent a considerable amount of time in jail as a youth. It was through social justice/police brutality movements like the one for Breonna Taylor that he used to turn his life around.

Taylor was killed in March by a former officer with the LMPD during a botched, no-knock raid on her apartment. Her death sparked national outrage and Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the country.

“It makes me feel good that I can come out here and it doesn’t matter where you came from, it doesn’t matter what happened previously in your life,” Nadgy told The Associated Press in September, the Daily Mail reports. “You’re here right now, you’re in this movement.”

A month later, he gushed about having lunch with state Rep. Attica Scott hours before leading a march, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.

“I’m an ex-foster kid, I’m a felon and I don’t have my GED,” Nagdy said. “I spent three years or four years, not consecutively, incarcerated. And next week I’m flying to New York with Until Freedom. I’m having lunch with a state representative. I got people asking me to lead marches.”

On Monday, his mother, Christine Muimneach, confirmed on Facebook that her “Beautiful and Intelligent son” was shot multiple times. The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses. As of reporting, more than $22K has been raised, surpassing its original goal of $15K.

“He was an avid activist for Black Lives Matter. He was an inspirational leader. We are poor and can not afford any money at all for his funeral. Our mother lives on disability and I just lost my job due to covid,” the description of the campaign reads.

“I hope he will be a symbol of this violence and that we’ll finally say, ‘This stops with Travis,'” said Antonio T-Made Taylor, a local reporter who mentored Nagdy.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!