x
Breaking News
More () »

Man killed by LMPD in Clifton was 'wildly firing' at police, mayor says

Mayor Greenberg addressed the concerns of LMPD leading this investigation instead of state police, but didn't give a specific reason why the decision was made.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A 47-year-old man was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police late Thursday night. 

The shooting happened around 10 p.m. on New Main Street, where Frankfort Avenue meets the train tracks in the Clifton neighborhood.

LMPD Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said officers arrived within minutes and found James Monti. Officers then reported they were being shot at by Monti.

Monti was injured in the shooting and taken to UofL Hospital where he later died.

According to Mayor Craig Greenberg, Monti was "wildly firing guns multiple times" at police officers. He added that they are "very fortunate no one else was hurt."

When the Jefferson County Coroner's Office released Monti's name on Friday, they listed his address as "city at large," which is what the office will often do for houseless people.

Greenberg said the LMPD officer who shot Monti was "confronted by an armed assailant with a gun pointed directly at him."

That officer has been placed on temporary leave, according to the mayor.

Why isn't KSP leading this investigation?

Since 2020, it has been commonplace for Kentucky State Police (KSP) to be the lead investigative agency when an LMPD officer shoots someone and either wounds them or kills them. 

However, during a press conference following the fatal shooting, Chief Gwinn-Villaroel said LMPD would be the lead agency in this case.

"This is not the first officer-involved shooting this year, and so it has been done both ways already this year," Greenberg told WHAS11. "So at this moment right now, LMPD is taking the lead in this."

When police shot and wounded a man at Shawnee Park in July 2022, LMPD specifically said that KSP was not handling the investigation because it was busy with several other officer-involved shooting investigations. 

We asked the mayor if that was true in this case, or if there was any other reason why LMPD was taking the lead, and he only repeated "LMPD is taking the lead on this investigation."

The mayor said the facts of the shooting and body camera footage will be handed over to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office and Office of the Inspector General.

Greenberg said the city will release the body camera footage as soon as it is practical.

Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.

Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.

Before You Leave, Check This Out