Protest Leaders React To Recent Rooftop Arrest

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- “We were one trigger pull from being the next mass shooting”, says protester organizer, C-Grimey.

According to Chattanooga Police, Kevin Leko was found with a loaded AK-47, and other loaded guns as he stood on the roof of an apartment building on Market Street Wednesday night.

Leko was arrested for possession of a firearm while under the influence.

Chattanooga Police also arrested Trevon Young earlier this week, for carrying an AR 15 at a protest.

Young was arrested for resisting arrest, possessing a firearm and disorderly conduct.

C-Grimey says, “Safety is always a concern. So, when you learn that someone has a weapon at a protest that you designed and hoped to be peaceful, there’s a concern.”

Protest organizers say that the protests are about equality in multiple facets of the community and does not want that message to get lost.

“The point of the protest is until, you give us a sustainable, real seat at the table, a real position that can help policy and legislation and the way that things are enforced in the city, then we are going to shut the streets down peacefully”, adds C-Grimey.

Police Chief David Roddy has been to multiple of these protest throughout the week.

Chief David Roddy says, “I love the conversations that I’ve had over the last five days but this is the type of thing that keeps me and every other officer up at night hoping we don’t actually have something like this occur.”

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke said today in a press conference that the city and law enforcement have been monitoring safety at all times during the protests.

But, he does not want to implement a curfew as long as things remain peaceful.

“We want to make sure that we have as few negative interactions and certainly physical interactions between the police and our community as possible. That’s why I’ve been resistant to imposing a curfew”, says Mayor Berke.

Protests are expected to last throughout the weekend.