Louisville Man Arrested, Facing Federal Charges After Allegedly Asking for $30k to Shoot Police Officers
Richard Moorhead
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A Louisville man has been arrested and charged with federal crimes after soliciting a ‘donation’ of $30k on a Facebook livestream in return for shooting Louisville Police Officers. 29-year old Cortez Edwards made the threat as Louisville Metro Police Officers were responding to a disturbance outside his house, just days after Black Lives Matter rioters ran amok after a Kentucky grand jury declined to indict police officers in the death of Breonna Taylor.
Two Louisville Metro Police Department officers were shot during the riots last week.
Cortez Edwards, 29, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm after he went live on Facebook requesting $30,000 to shoot Louisville, KY. Metro Police officers on scene for a disturbance in front of his home: https://t.co/lfpgivpDgH
— U.S. Marshals (@USMarshalsHQ) September 28, 2020
United States Marshals deputies carried out a federal search warrant on his home after recovering video footage in which Edwards threatened to shoot law enforcement in return for money. Edwards had reportedly waved around a gun in the Facebook live footage, which may have gained authorities attention as he made the threats.
They found a Glock 19 semiautomatic pistol in his possession. As a convicted felon, Edwards is prohibited from possessing guns, and is thus being charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Louisville needs healing and safety for its citizens, not armed felons seeking bids to shoot police,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman in a press release summarizing the arrest.
If convicted, Edwards could face up to ten years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
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