A Kentucky man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally shooting a photographer during a protest over the police killing of Breonna Taylor.
Stephen Lopez apologized for his actions Tuesday before a judge handed down his sentence in Jefferson Circuit Court, WDRB-TV reported. Lopez pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter in the death of 27-year-old Tyler Garth and several counts of wanton endangerment during the 2020 protests.
Witnesses said Lopez fired several shots into the crowd, and footage showed people fleeing behind bushes, buildings and vehicles to avoid the gunfire.
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Lopez said he was homeless and using drugs, which “made me realize a reality that wasn’t real.”
Protesters spend time on the grounds of a church in Louisville, Friday, September 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
“I can’t find enough words to express how sorry I am,” he said. “I will always remember the name Tyler Garth and will do everything in my power to live up to the man he was.”
Garth’s sisters said they were heartbroken by the death of their kind and generous brother.
“I pray that you will be inspired by the man who stole from us and become more like him,” Brittany Rowen said in a statement. “But most of all, I pray that God intervenes in your life and that God redeems it. I truly believe that’s what Tyler wants.”
After the sentencing, Loewen said she had chosen to forgive Lopez because of her faith and that Lopez’s apology was “meaningful.”
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“I hope it’s sincere and that he’s truly remorseful. And I hope he hears me. I hope he knows who Tyler is. “I hope this is an inspiration for Tyler to make the most of his opportunities,” she said. “Because his life didn’t end that day.”
