LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A 21-year-old Louisville man who became a fixture at protests over the police killing of Breonna Taylor was fatally shot early Monday.
Hamza “Travis” Nagdy was often seen leading protest marches with a megaphone to draw attention to Taylor’s death and call for police reform.
Nagdy was killed in a shooting near the University of Louisville campus, the Courier Journal reported. Police have released few details about the shooting.
Nagdy, who said he spent time in foster care and in jail as a youth, drew hope from the protest movement. Many of the demonstrations originated in a downtown park near the city’s courthouse, where Nagdy was often found.
“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,” he told The Associated Press in September. “You’re here right now, you’re in this movement.”
Antonio T-Made Taylor, a friend and mentor to Nagdy, called him irreplaceable.
“Travis really believed he could help change systemic racism,” Taylor said. “He believed he could be a big part of that change.
“If you ever needed to see hope in a young man, you could look at Travis and see it. … He was inspiring, he was insightful, he was encouraging. He was so willing to learn. He was just a beacon of hope. Him and his megaphone.”
Louisville police are investigating, and no suspects have been identified.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.