Louisville’s Craig Greenberg began his career as an attorney. Later he branched into other ventures like education, entrepreneurship, and charitable nonprofits. Now, he is running for metro mayor of Louisville, Kentucky.
This week he dodged an “attempted assassination” in his office, local officials told CBS Louisville WLKY on Monday.
Everyone escaped unharmed, but Greenberg found bullet holes in his clothes, according to the police chief’s interview with CBS.
Greenberg said that the shooter “aimed directly at me and began shooting.”
Metro Council President David James described the incident as an “assassination attempt” to WLKY.
However, Police Chief Erika Shields said not to assume a political motive. The would-be killer was known as a far-leftist.
“We’re going to keep an open mind and proceed with an abundance of caution,” Shields told WLKY. “The responding officers have detained an individual who we believe is responsible for the shooting. We have no known motives at this time. We will have to allow the investigators to do the appropriate work.”
Police later identified the suspect as Quintez Brown, a 21-year-old journalist and candidate for metro council.
Brown used to work as an “intern and editorial columnist for The Courier Journal,” according to The Louisville Courier Journal itself. He starting writing for them while still in high school. In 2018, he wrote a viral column called, “Black students feel voiceless at Manual High School, so I staged a sit-in.”
He gained a local profile for protesting in June 2020. Later, in 2021, he disappeared for several weeks, according to his family’s statement reviewed by The Courier Journal.
In December, Brown announced a run for metro council. He said in his Twitter profile, “We have one scientific and correct solution, Pan-Africanism: the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism.”
As of Monday, Brown is facing one count of attempted murder and four counts of wanton endangerment, police spokeswoman Elizabeth Ruoff told The Courier Journal Monday.
According to the police chief, the shooter appeared to have worked alone.
Several local politicians have risen above political differences to offer well wishes to Greenberg, a Democrat in an election with no incumbent.
Primary opponent Timothy Findley Jr. tweeted, “Praying for the safety of Craig Greenberg and staff. I’m praying for the safety of all the candidates. This is unacceptable.”
Shameka Parrish-Wright, another rival candidate, issued a statement of sympathy.
Greenberg himself has taken this opportunity to highlight his platform of balancing public safety with criminal justice reform.
“Today is not a day for politics, but it’s not lost on me that the violence my staff and I experienced today is far too common in our city. Too many Louisville families have experienced the trauma of gun violence. Too many in Louisville were not as blessed as my team and I were today to survive,” he said at a press conference.
“I’d like to especially thank the swift response of the Louisville Metro Police Department, the A.T.F., and all of the law enforcement officers who secured the scene within minutes and are working this case.”
Read the statements here —
Just spoke with Craig. Glad to hear he and his family are safe.
— Timothy Findley, Jr. (@TimFindleyJr) February 14, 2022
Today we're focused on making sure everyone from all campaigns is safe. pic.twitter.com/2sxV52DLWW
— Shameka Parrish-Wright (@shameka4metro3) February 14, 2022
— Mayor Craig Greenberg (@LouisvilleMayor) February 15, 2022
The Horn editorial team