Two explosions occurred alongside protesters near Louisville's Waterfront Park Thursday night.
Louisville Metro Chief of Public Safety Amy Hess said that one of the explosions left a crater roughly one-and-a-half feet in length on Witherspoon Street. Another nearby explosion, the location of which was not specified, caused damage to a gate, an exit sign and the surrounding structure.
The Louisville Metro Police Department's bomb squad, ATF and FBI responded to the incident and are currently investigating the material used to cause the blasts.
“Based on the noise, it was certainly louder than any fireworks we’ve heard to date,” Hess said.
She said no arrests have been made and there haven't been any reported injuries associated with the explosions.
The increasing use of vehicles in protest caravans was also addressed during Friday morning’s press conference. Hess said officials have become concerned over reckless driving and people riding on tops of vehicles or hanging out of the windows.
Just after midnight this morning, a woman in her early 20s and her 5-year-old son suffered multiple head injuries when they fell out of a moving vehicle. Both were transported to the hospital, though their injuries are not life threatening.
Hess stated that because of the incidents, law enforcement will have an increased presence at protests and gatherings Friday and through the weekend.
“If we continue to see these unsafe behaviors, we must take action to stop it,” she said. “Given the escalating safety concerns from what we saw last night, we will again increase our presence tonight and take steps to stop the reckless, dangerous behavior.”
