Louisville police say man fatally shot while trying to carjack undercover police officers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A man was shot and killed by a Louisville Metro Police officer Monday afternoon after police said he tried to carjack two undercover officers in Louisville’s Portland neighborhood. But the man’s father is pushing back on what police say led up to his son’s death.

According to Interim Police Chief Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel, the incident took place just after 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Griffiths Avenue and North 22nd Street.

Gwinn-Villaroel said two undercover officers with LMPD’s Fugitive Unit were inside a vehicle attempting to apprehend a suspect in an unrelated investigation when their vehicle was approached by a man in his 20s.

According to Gwinn-Villaroel, the man had a gun and attempted to carjack the officers.

One of the officers — a 10-year veteran of the department — shot the man with his service weapon.

The officers immediately tried to render medical aid, according to Gwinn-Villaroel, but the suspect died as a result of his injuries. Neither of the officers were injured.

Hours after the shooting, a man named Mark Jaggers reached out to WDRB News. He said his son, Mark Jaggers Jr., wasn’t trying to carjack anyone and that he thought the car was dumped off near their Portland home and wanted to take it for a joyride. When he opened the door, two undercover officers were inside.

“That car was sitting here for three hours,” said Jaggers. “My son thought it was a stolen car.”

Jaggers said he watched video from a neighbor’s security camera after the shooting. He said the alley where it happened is a known drop-off spot for dumped cars.

“The suspect attempted to carjack the officers with a gun,” Chief Gwinn-Villaroel said at the scene. “One of the officers shot the suspect with his service weapon.”

Jaggers said when he got the call, he heard someone screaming “in the alley.”

“And when I got here, that’s when I saw my boy on the ground,” he said.

Jaggers’ son died at the hospital. His father is pushing back on the accusation that his son was trying to carjack the officers. He doesn’t believe his son knew anyone was inside the car.

“My son thought it was a dumped car. I know it’s still illegal, I know. But it’s not worth getting shot over,” he said.

Hours after the shooting, in the same area where it happened, friends and family released balloons in his memory as they wait for more answers and Jaggers prepares to bury his son.

Kentucky State Police will lead the investigation into the shooting, Gwinn-Villaroel said. The agency has statewide jurisdiction and investigates police shootings throughout the state at the request of local law enforcement agencies.

Police later said Rex Wright Jr., 23, is the person detectives were initially looking for. He turned himself in after the shooting. He was wanted for a non-fatal shooting incident.

Wright is charged with one count of assault and six counts of wanton endangerment in connection with an incident on May 28, 2023.