Family shares frustration with LMPD’s investigation of fallen deputy Brandon Shirley

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The parents of fallen Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy Brandon Shirley spoke out about concerns with the investigation into their son’s death.

Deputy Shirley was fatally shot while working as off-duty security at a car lot on Rockford Lane in August.

LMPD Chief Erika Shields initially said Shirley was targeted.

“He was targeted and he was ambushed. It’s just sickening,” Shields said on August 5. “We will make an arrest. We will make an arrest.”

The family is still searching for answers more than 100 days later.

His father, Brian Shirley, said investigators have given him different stories since the shooting.

“I was sat down and told they thought it might have been a robbery, then they thought it might have been a carjacking. And now there’s a complete 180 to it... may have been an accident,” he explained. “We don’t understand how you get from point A to point Z with nothing in between.”

Shirley’s father said one way to know for sure is to see the surveillance video from neighboring businesses the night his son was killed.

Officials released one photo of a vehicle of interest immediately after the shooting. Brian is calling for LMPD to release additional evidence.

“I don’t want my wife to see it, I don’t want Austin to see it,” Brian said. “I’m going to take that burden, put that on my shoulders and watch my son’s death so we can find out what’s going on. Something I’ll live with for the rest of my life. But if that’s what I gotta do, then that’s what I gotta do.”

The Shirley family also claims communication with LMPD detectives has been limited.

LMPD released a statement after the family spoke to reporters:

“The LMPD is committed to bringing Deputy Brandon Shirley’s killer or killers to justice. Balancing the integrity of a murder investigation versus the very real needs and desires of survivors’ families is an excruciatingly difficult, constantly evolving process. We know that until the murderer or murderers who took Brandon from his family and our community are convicted our efforts will never be enough. The chasm Brandon’s death has created will never be truly filled. Our commitment is to the strongest possible level of investigation, free of outside influence, bias, or opinion. Members of the LMPD Command Staff have remained in contact with Deputy Shirley’s family, and will continue to do so going forward. The LMPD’s primary goal is to arrest and convict anyone involved in the murder of Deputy Shirley, and we will continue to diligently work towards a successful resolution.”

Louisville attorney Sam Aguiar announced an additional $10,000 for the reward in Shirley’s case.

The family is not currently seeking legal action against LMPD.

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