Racial justice protests: Man pleads guilty in fatal shooting of photographer Tyler Gerth
Steven Lopez has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the fatal shooting of photographer Tyler Gerth as protesters gathered at Jefferson Square Park in June 2020.
Lopez, 27, also pleaded guilty to 21 counts of wanton endangerment. He faces a recommendation of 30 years in prison, 18 of them for Gerth's death, according to court documents. His sentencing is set for Feb. 13.
"While nothing will ever bring Tyler back and we will never truly have justice for him being taken from us, it’s an important step for Mr. Lopez to take responsibility for his actions and plead guilty to his crimes," Tyler Gerth's family said in a statement. "We remain focused on carrying on Tyler’s memory through the works of Building Equal Bridges, the Tyler Gerth Foundation, by continuing in his legacy of compassion and generosity."
His godfather was Joe Gerth, a Courier Journal columnist. Tyler Gerth also was a godfather to the Louisville columnist's daughter.
The shooting occurred June 27, 2020, at Jefferson Square Park - a popular gathering spot in downtown Louisville for people protesting for racial justice in the wake of Breonna Taylor's shooting by police.
A report of multiple gunshots came in to MetroSafe Communications around 9 that night. When Louisville Metro Police officers arrived, they found a person shot - later identified as Gerth - in the middle of the park near a short concrete wall, according to Lopez's arrest citation.
Video surveillance and several witnesses identified Lopez as the shooter who fired into a crowd, as described in the citation.
Lopez had grabbed a gun from a protester who was among a group that had asked Lopez to leave the park for getting into an earlier altercation, according to court testimony in 2020.
Several bystanders returned fire, shooting Lopez in the leg, according to police records.
Explaining why he opened fire at the park, Lopez told police he thought Gerth had a rifle and that others "were coming after him," according to 2020 court testimony. There is no evidence Gerth was armed.
Gerth, 27, had become a vocal supporter of ongoing protests against racism and police brutality and, his family said, a strong supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. He was there to photograph what was happening.
Lopez was a frequent participant in the demonstrations at the time. Court records show he was one of 17 protesters arrested on June 17, 2020 and a Courier Journal photographer captured his arrest that day in a photo. He was charged that morning with inciting a riot, disorderly conduct, harassment and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Lopez's grandparents said in 2020 that Lopez had struggled with mental illness since he was a child.
As part of his plea agreement, Lopez has agreed to obtain his GED or high school diploma and complete a vocational program as well as any treatment programs available to him while in custody. He cannot have any contact with the victims listed in the indictment.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Steven Lopez guilty in shooting of Tyler Gerth at Louisville protest
