Protesters charged after assaulting driver downtown Monday night

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Protesters were at the intersection of 2nd Street and Broadway Monday night, when a gun was pointed at the driver and assaulted according to police video.

Louisville Metro Police shared the footage showing the intersection of 2nd and Broadway, where a large group of people had gathered around 8 p.m. Monday. In the video, protesters began to circle a silver four-door sedan.

The driver door is then opened, and there’s seemingly a hesitation between the driver and protesters.

LMPD says the protesters came from Jefferson Square Park and marched from 6th Street toward Broadway.

WAVE 3 News obtained scanner audio of TARC drivers talking about the protesters interrupting the routes.

“Standby till the roadway clears," the recording says. “We’re going eastbound and they just started walking, some were saying ‘come on go.’”

After the car took off, protesters still lingered around the intersection. As more cars pulled onto 2nd Street, they still had a tough time getting through.

LMPD arrested five protesters for rioting in relation to the incident.

Jamel Lewis, 42, faces an additional charge of first-degree wanton endangerment. Jacari Pearson, 18, was charged with fourth-degree assault. Felicity Escobedo, 18, was charged with unlawful assembly, failure to disperse and obstruction of highway traffic. Gerald Jacobs, 60, and Lakisha Martin, 25, are charged with 1st degree rioting.

WAVE 3 News has not yet received a response on a request of the 911 call made by the driver. LMPD said the victim called saying a weapon had been pointed at them and they were assaulted.

LMPD did not go on camera to talk about the incident.

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