LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Years after a deadly shooting at Jefferson Square Park, a Louisville man has changed his plea in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old photographer Tyler Gerth.
On Monday, Steven Lopez pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and 22 counts of wanton endangerment. Lopez opened fire into a crowd of people during a protest on June 27, 2020 following the death of Breonna Taylor.
Gerth's sisters described him as a "true photographer" who had been fueled by the 2020 racial justice movement in the United States. "It's a comfort to us to know that Tyler was fighting for what he believed in," his sister, Brittany Loewan told WHAS11 less than a week after her brother was killed.
According to police investigators, Lopez had taken a gun from a protestor and then shot into the crowd gathered at the park.
Prosecutors recommend Lopez be sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison for his charges. He has also agreed to obtain his GED, complete a vocational program and any treatment programs available while in custody.
Lopez will be back in court on Feb. 13 for his sentencing.
"While nothing will ever bring Tyler back and we will never truly have justice for him being taken from us, it’s an important step for Mr. Lopez to take responsibility for his actions and plead guilty to his crimes," Gerth's family said in a statement. "We remain focused on carrying on Tyler’s memory through the works of Building Equal Bridges, the Tyler Gerth Foundation, by continuing in his legacy of compassion and generosity.”
On December 2022, as one of former Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's final acts as mayor, he unveiled a historic marker memorializing Breonna Taylor and the victims of the Breonna Taylor protests: Tyler Gerth and David McAtee.
On June 2022, Trinity High School unveiled a sculpture honoring Gerth, exactly two years after he was hit by random gunfire in Jefferson Square Park. School officials said the sculpture will be used as a teaching tool for students at Trinity.
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