Newly unsealed evidence shows a Louisville activist accused of shooting at a Democratic mayoral candidate also searched the internet for information about a second candidate, Republican Bill Dieruf, the morning of the shooting.
Quintez Brown, who was a writer and prominent organizer during the 2020 racial justice protests in Louisville, is accused of shooting at Craig Greenberg on Feb. 14. Police allege Brown walked into Greenberg’s campaign office that day while the candidate was meeting with some of his staffers. Brown allegedly shot at Greenberg multiple times, with one bullet grazing Greenberg’s sweater.
On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Colin Lindsay unsealed records of Brown’s internet history in the days leading up to the shooting. The documents show the 22-year-old searched Google multiple times for “j town mayor office” around 1 a.m. on Feb. 14. He also looked at numerous posts Dieruf, who is the mayor of Jeffersontown, made on Instagram.
In a statement released Thursday evening, Dieruf said he was aware Brown had searched the internet for information about him shortly before the shooting at Greenberg’s office. He also said he and Jeffersontown Police Chief Rick Sanders met with the FBI as part of their investigation.
“As mayor for the past 11 years, I’m sure my name has been Googled many times for various reasons,” Dieruf said. “It doesn’t change my daily life or the way I run the city.”
The 797-page search history, filed as evidence by federal prosecutors, covers the morning of the shooting and the four days preceding it. The documents show Brown repeatedly Googled for information about Greenberg, including his home address. Brown also appears to have browsed the social media pages of some Greenberg campaign staffers, as well as Metro Council President David James, an early supporter of Greenberg.
In the hours leading up to the Feb. 14 shooting, Brown Googled for “safety on glock 17” and “how to load a glcok (sic) cartridge.” Federal prosecutors allege Brown purchased a Glock 9 mm pistol from a local pawn shop less than an hour before attempting to shoot Greenberg.
Also contained in the documents unsealed Thursday are records from an unidentified rideshare company. They indicate that Brown was dropped off outside of Greenberg’s home at 6:09 p.m. on Feb. 13. Prosecutors claim Brown went to Greenberg’s home with the intent to shoot the candidate, but his gun jammed. The rideshare records show he ordered a trip back home around 6:46 p.m.
Brown’s lawyers have argued since his initial arrest in February that he has mental and emotional issues, and Brown has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him at both the state and federal levels.
He was placed on home incarceration after being bailed out by the Louisville Community Bail Fund two days after the shooting. A state court judge allowed Brown to leave his home for a mental health evaluation in late February.
Brown is currently being held at a detention facility in Grayson County, Kentucky after federal agents arrested him in early April. A federal grand jury indicted Brown on two charges: interfering with a constitutional right and using a gun in the commission of a violent crime. Those are seperate from the attempted murder and wanton endangerment charges he faces in state court. All the charges he faces are felonies.
A U.S. District Court judge is expected to decide by May 5 whether Brown should remain in federal custody or be released back to home incarceration.
