Restaurant Owner Known for Giving Free Food to Police Shot Dead Amid Protests

A restaurant owner known for providing free food to policemen was killed by law enforcement officers during an early Monday morning protest.

David McAtee, owner of BBQ joint YaYa's in western Louiseville was shot and killed by law enforcement offers early Monday morning after police and soldiers from the National Guard opened fire on protestors.

At 12:15 AM, a protest was happening in the parking lot of Dino's Food Mart, just a block away from McAtee's BBQ restaurant. According to police, someone shot a gun, and law enforcement returned fire, ultimately killing McAtee.

A TRAGIC PROTEST

12 hours after, his body remained at the scene as police officers investigated what had happened. Officers did not have their body cameras activated during the clash, and Louiseville chief Steve Conrad has been relieved of his duties.

McAtee attended the protest against the killing of Breonna Taylor, a 25-year-old EMT worker who died at the hands of police officers. Unfortunately, he suffered the same fate.

A COMMUNITY STAPLE

According to David's mother, he was known as a person who brought their community together. In fact, he was also known to offer law enforcement officers with free meals whenever they'd turn up in his barbecue joint.

McAtee's barbecue joint was a community staple, building a loyal clientele over the past couple of years. In fact, due to its rising popularity, David dreamed of turning it into a restaurant once he had enough capital to do so.

AN UPRISING NATIONWIDE

Hundreds of thousands of people are out on the streets in different parts of America, joining many types of protests and demonstrations against racial injustice and police recent actions. The uprising has caused the government to call in the National Guard, something that some states have not done before.

Protests across the nation began after a Minneapolis local, George Floyd, died at the hands of police officers who refused to answer his pleas for help. Officers were called in at a local mart after a clerk believed Floyd was writing a bad check.

GEORGE FLOYD'S IMPACT

It turns out, he wasn't, yet he was still arrested by police. At one point, one of the officers had his knee to George's neck, causing him to suffocate. Onlookers pleaded with officers to let him go to no avail.

Soon after, a video of the incident went viral and people took to the streets to call out police actions. More than a week later, protests and demonstrations continue to occur.