By Briasia Russ

Former Louisville officer Cory Evans pleads guilty for hitting a kneeling man. According to a statement, Evans “struck the victim in the back of the head with a riot stick.” Evans was one of the officers on duty during protests after the recent killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in 2020.  

As reported by CNN, when the victim surrendered for arrest by getting on his knees and placing his hands in the air, officer Evans proceeded to hit the victim, causing the victim to suffer a head wound.  

“While the vast majority of law enforcement officers are hardworking professionals who work conscientiously to protect the public, Cory Evans was simply not one of those officers,” said Edward J. Gray, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office. 

Gray is aware of the responsibility and power that law enforcement holds, and that it should never be taken advantage of. 

“Every citizen has the right to expect law enforcement officers to act in accordance with the laws they have sworn to uphold. We entrust law enforcement officers with great power and authority, which we, as a community, expect them to wield with the utmost integrity. This case provides another example that abusing that power and authority will not be tolerated in Louisville,” Gray said.