Leader of Breonna Taylor protests killed in Louisville shooting, family says

A Louisville community is mourning the death of a young protest organizer who was reportedly shot and killed early Monday morning, marking another tragedy in a city battling a surge of gun violence.

Police did not identify the victim in the fatal shooting, but family members and friends said the man was Hamza “Travis” Nagdy, a beloved activist who led numerous demonstrations following the killing of Breonna Taylor earlier this year.

His sister, Sarah Nagdy, described him as an “inspirational leader” and an “avid activist for Black Lives Matter.”

“My brother was murdered. He was only 21 years old,” she wrote in a fundraising website Monday.

Hamza “Travis” Nagdy (Twitter/)

Authorities said they responded to a report of a shooting around 12:20 a.m. and found a “male suffering from a gunshot wound.” The victim was taken to a hospital, but he was pronounced dead a short time later, according to a statement shared with the Daily News.

The shooter remains at large.

In a series of photos and videos shared on social media, Nagdy can be seen holding a megaphone and rallying protesters at the city’s Jefferson Square Park, the site of dozens of demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice.

Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, shared her own tribute on Twitter.

“RIp Travis you were amazing and I was honored to have you standing for Bre...” she wrote. “Another beautiful soul lost as we continue to fight for justice.”

State Rep. Charles Booker also weighed in.

“We’ve suffered a great loss,” he tweeted. “Travis Nagdy, a young leader committed to the fight for justice, is gone.

“As we marched for Breonna Taylor, it was often Travis and his megaphone leading the way. A bullet took his breath, but we still hear his voice. Rest in Power, young Brother.”

The shooting came about two hours after a Kentucky police officer fatally shot a man during a traffic stop for a stolen car Sunday night, leading a small crowd to gather at the scene and call for answers moments later.

The city’s police force is under increased scrutiny since a team of plainclothes officers fatally shot Taylor, a 26-year-old unarmed Black woman, in her own apartment during a botched raid in February.

Louisville has also recorded a record-breaking number of homicides in 2020, with more than 140 as of early November, according to local news station WHAS.

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Antonio T-Made Taylor, an independent journalist and youth mentor, said he hopes Nagdy’s death will become “a symbol of the violence that’s going on” so more people can pay attention and do something about the problem.

“We’re just hoping that he will become a symbol of what great lives we are going to lose if we don’t wrap a movement around what’s going on,” he told the Louisville Courier Journal.

Police said the official identify of Monday’s shooting victim will be confirmed by coroner’s office.