Woman in stable condition after officer-involved shooting in Valley Station neighborhood

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - On Sunday evening, there was a woman shot by an officer in the Valley Station neighborhood according to LMPD.

Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said officers responded to a scene on the 9100 block of Chenault Road around 5:42 p.m.

When officers arrived on scene, they saw a woman holding and waving a gun in the middle of the street.

Villaroel said officers instructed the woman to drop the weapon multiple times and she refused. The woman then continued to advance toward the officers.

Officers fired upon the woman, and she was given aid immediately. The weapon was also recovered.

According to LMPD spokesperson Alicia Smiley, the woman was alert, conscious and talking while being taken to the hospital.

“I have spoken to LMPD Chief Gwinn-Villaroel regarding an officer-involved shooting this evening,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said. “The Chief informed me the incident involved a woman brandishing a firearm on a residential street, who advanced on LMPD officers and, after several verbal commands, the officers responded and the suspect was struck by gunfire. LMPD rendered immediate aid and her condition is unknown. I am grateful no LMPD officers were harmed in this encounter and thankful no members of the public were injured during this incident. I am also thankful footage of this incident was captured on a body-worn camera. We will update the public on this incident as information becomes available.”

“This is preliminary at this time,” Gwinn-Villaroel said. “But it appears that the officers followed all protocols and procedures for this department.”

Officials said no officers were injured in the incident.

“We are grateful tonight that our officers weren’t injured and that the subject this evening was rendered immediate aid,” Gwinn-Villaroel said.

The scene here on Chenault Road caught the attention of people that lived nearby.

One person told WAVE News that the current climate and rise in shootings in Louisville this year is making them feel uneasy.

“I feel like we have to watch our back a little more,” nearby neighbor Carson Heimann said. “I feel like there’s definitely a need for awareness and to keep people close to you because you never know what might be lurking around the next corner.”

There have been 25 homicides in Louisville so far this year.

On Monday, LMPD said the woman shot is at University Hospital in stable condition being treated for her injuries.

According to policy created by the Fischer administration, all cases of suspects shot by LMPD must be investigated by Kentucky State Police (KSP).

On Monday, Mayor Craig Greenberg called on KSP to make the body camera video public as “soon as possible.”

“They are leading the investigation right now,” Greenberg said. “And so those conversations will have to continue, but it is our goal to get the body cam footage released as soon as possible. That is very important for accountability and transparency.”

Greenberg also said his administration would re-examine the Fischer policy.

“We will be evaluating that policy as well as we are all policies that we have inherited,” Greenberg said. “But right now we are working in close cooperation with KSP and we appreciate their efforts for being a part of us and working with us to resolve, to get information as quickly as possible and to gather the facts which is the most important.”

In the meantime, residents wait for details, unaccustomed to the sight of flashing lights and officers swarming their neighborhood.

“Never, never, I was completely shocked,” Nikki Shirley said Monday. “I’ve never even seen a cop on the street ever.”

“And if she (the suspect) pointed a gun at the cops,” resident Pete Tilson said. “I mean. You shouldn’t do that. They want to go home at night too.”

Late Monday, LMPD released a brief statement:

“The female subject from yesterday’s OIS (officer involved shooting) is currently in stable condition at University Hospital. Any further inquiries or information will need to be obtained from KSP.”

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