Louisville basketball assistant coach Kahil Fennell arrested at Breonna Taylor protests

Photo via University of Louisville Athletics

Kahil Fennell, a Louisville basketball assistant coach, has been arrested and charged following a Breonna Taylor protest in Louisville Saturday night, according to a breaking news report by the Courier-Journal. Fennell is currently listed as the school’s men’s basketball Director of Operations. The protest he was attending began in response to Breonna Taylor’s death. The 26-year-old ER technician and University of Kentucky graduate was fatally shot by a member of the Louisville Metro Police on March 13, and protests throughout the city are ongoing at this time.

Fennell was arrested Saturday night at the Breonna Taylor protest and charged with unlawful assembly. Fennell’s citation notes he was arrested at 10 p.m. in the 800 block of W. Jefferson Street, where some of the demonstrations were taking place. Fennell was in violation of Louisville’s 9 p.m. curfew, and he was taken into custody after failing to comply with an order to leave, according to the May 30 booking log obtained by the Courier Journal. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said around 40 people were arrested in the city on Saturday, with more than 30 people facing misdemeanor unlawful assembly charges.

Head coach Chris Mack released a statement after Fennell’s arrest was reported, saying the staff would support Fennell moving forward.

“Earlier this morning Kahil and I spoke and I was made aware of his booking,” Mack said in a statement. “I stand by my statement I made later in the morning and I stand by Kahil. When he feels the time is right he will comment.”

Prior to Fennell’s arrest, Mack released an earlier statement on Twitter, saying he is “looking forward to listening to my players, their fears, their stories, their advice. I hope that we can play a part in helping to heal an entire community we proudly represent.”

[Courier Journal]