The Louisville, Ky., police officer who shot two news reporters live on tv last year during protests against racial injustice was nominated for an award days after he was placed on leave.
Officer Dusten Dean caught major heat in May after he took aim at WAVE 3 News Reporter Kaitlyn Rust and photographer James Dobson, striking both with pepper balls as they covered protests over the police killing of Breonna Taylor, The Hill reports.
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Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot by police in her home while they executed a botched “no-knock” warrant. Rust was covering the demonstrations that erupted on May 23 over the killing when Dean fired at her. According to CBS affiliate WIVB, Rust can be heard yelling, “I’ve been shot!” while standing near dozens of officers dressed in riot gear. Her videographer captured an officer pointing a gun directly at the news team. Watch the moment via the Twitter video embed below.
“When the officer fired at Ms. Rust and Mr. Dobson, the two had been following instructions, were standing behind the police line when they were fired upon, and were not disrupting or otherwise interfering with law enforcement,” a statement from WAVE 3 News said.
LMPD spokesperson Jessie Halladay told the Courier-Journal at the time that it was not the department’s “intention to target or subject the media as they try to cover this.”
“It’s not something that should have occurred if she was singled out as a reporter, and that is what the video looks like occurred. It’s a little difficult to determine, in the midst of all of this, who that officer is,” Halladay said. “We will be taking a look at the video again after this situation is resolved, and if we need to do any investigation for discipline, we will do that.”
Officer Dean was reportedly captured on camera firing nonlethal rounds at the news crew. He would be put on leave pending an investigation into the shooting. Days later Dean and several other officers were nominated for the Exceptional Merit Award for delivering “critical items” to a Special Response Team during the protests.
Dean and the other officers “devoted extra time away from their families while operating on very little sleep, and working in high temperatures, so the Special Response Team, the Louisville Metro Police Department and the City of Louisville as a whole could succeed,” Lt. Chris Aebersold wrote in a nominating letter, the Courier-Journal reported.
Read More: 2 Louisville officers fired over Breonna Taylor shooting
Aebersold said the special response team was “attempting to stop destructive subjects from causing more damage and destruction in the city.”
Chief Rob Schroeder also praised Dean for his “exceptional efforts” during the protests, writing “you have reflected a positive image for yourself and the department. Your strong work ethic, dedication, perseverance, and positive attitude are very much appreciated.”
Meanwhile, Dean has not received the award and remains on administrative reassignment, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department. Nearly a year after he fired at the two reporters, the investigation into his violent antics is still pending.
“I’m shocked and disheartened to hear he was commended for a job well done after he so publicly failed to protect us,” said Kaitlin Rust.
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