An investigation is underway following an officer-involved shooting involving a Louisville Metro Police Department officer in Shively.
The shootings, which happened around 2:30 a.m., started on the Watterson Expressway and ended on Dixie Highway.
LMPD Chief Erika Shields said an LMPD officer was blocking the roadway for construction crews working on I-264 at Dixie Highway when the suspect, who was identified as Keyshaun Stewart, 25, in court documents, walked up to a construction worker and shot him. Shields said the suspect then walked up to an LMPD officer in his patrol car and fired into the vehicle, striking the officer inside.
Following the shootings, the suspect ran off toward Dixie Highway with the officer following Stewart, returning fire and wounding him. Both are being treated at University Hospital.
The construction worker, who was identified by his family members as Fred O’Bannon, a father of five children, died from his wounds.
Stewart is a convicted felon. Among the charges he faces include attempted murder of a police officer, assault of a police officer, wanton endangerment, fleeing or evading police, and possessing a handgun as a convicted felon, according to court documents.
O’Bannon was employed by Louisville Paving and Construction, a contractor hired by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Louisville Paving released the following statement after his death:
“Early this morning, our entire family at Louisville Paving and Construction mourns the tragic loss of our friend and colleague, Fred O’Bannon.
As reported earlier today by LMPD Chief Shields, Fred was performing traffic control operations on a roadway construction site along the Watterson Expressway near Dixie Highway when he was fatally wounded by an unknown assailant. The assailant then wounded an LMPD officer who returned fire. We are obviously working with both KSP and LMPD in the investigation.
Fred joined Louisville Paving and Construction in April 2020 and was a highly respected and committed member of our team. Fred worked in our traffic control division where he worked tirelessly to keep his fellow team members and motoring public safe.
Fred was 37 years of age, a resident of Louisville and leaves behind a fiancé and children.
Needless to say, our entire team is devastated by the loss of Fred and we stand committed to support his family and team members through this tragedy. We ask that everyone join us in keeping Fred, his family and his friends in your thoughts and prayers.”
Witnesses told WAVE 3 News that the LMPD officer involved in the shooting was joined in the pursuit of Stewart by another construction worker. That worker allegedly chased Stewart in his truck before crashing into a bar on Hillview Avenue called Ott’s Tavern.
Luckily, no one was inside and the bar was closed at the time, but the owner said the entire scenario was shocking.
“(The) type of stuff that’s going on in this city is just ridiculous,” R. D. Board, the owner of Ott’s Tavern, said. “Everyone’s lost their minds out here anymore running around these streets. They need to do something about it.”
The truck came to a stop after breaking through the cement block wall. The crash was loud enough to startle sleeping neighbors.
”I looked outside my door,” Theodore Scott said. “I looked down there to see what happened. I thought somebody got stopped by the police.”
Under department policy, the shooting investigation will be handled by Kentucky State Police.