What National Guard Training Can Tell Us About Policing Protests

A National Guard soldier called in to help quell protests in Louisville fatally shot Kentucky restaurant owner David McAtee.

Residents of Louisville were already reeling from the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police detectives in her home when they attempted to serve a warrant according to The Courier Journal. A video reconstruction by the New York Times shows what appear to be violations of the Louisville Police Department’s use of force that led McAtee to allegedly fire a 9mm handgun at law enforcement, according to state officials, which led to police and National Guard firing back and killing him.

As in Kentucky, governors in 30 states and the District of Columbia deployed National Guard units in recent weeks to respond to protests over police brutality alongside law enforcement. Guard units most often assist with natural disasters and security for large events, but responding to domestic civil unrest is also part of their core mission.

Read the full article and more in WAMU.