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'Absolutely heartbreaking' ruling in Breonna Taylor shooting sparks new wave of national protests for justice, racial equality

The announcement of a grand jury's decision to indict one of the three police officers involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor — and that the indictment wasn't related to her death — sparked another wave of protests for justice and racial equality around the nation.

Protesters took to the streets in Chicago, Milwaukee, Seattle and Washington, D.C, among other places, following Wednesday's announcement from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, which also spurred demonstrations that turned violent in Taylor's home city of Louisville.

Two Louisville police officers were shot during protests, one in the abdomen and another in the thigh, according to The Courier-Journal of the USA TODAY network. Both are expected to recover, interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said.

In Chicago, where the mayor called for a citywide moment of silence, hundreds of people gathered at peaceful protests across the city.

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In the South Side Auburn Gresham neighborhood, dozens of people led by anti-violence activist and pastor Michael Pfleger blocked an intersection, chanting “Say her name, Breonna Taylor!”

Others gathered downtown at Millenium Park and marched for hours through downtown Chicago, trailed by dozens of officers on bikes and marked and unmarked cars. The group observed a moment of silence for Taylor at one point, holding fists in the air.

There were also protests in the South Side Bronzeville neighborhood and through the city’s North Side.

“This ruling is absolutely heartbreaking, and it leaves more questions than it answers,” said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, adding, “This is a profoundly disturbing reality.”

Breonna Taylor's family dismayed: 'I'm mad as hell because nothing's changing'

To the north in Milwaukee, a group of protesters marched along Interstate 94, temporarily blocking traffic while chanting, "The whole damn system is guilty as hell."

"Say her name," a leader chanted. "Breonna Taylor," the group responded.

In Atlanta, the Georgia State Patrol, Atlanta police and Fulton County deputies were called in to arrest protesters, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Tear gas was used to disperse crowds near the Capitol, according to the newspaper.

Late Wednesday night, Seattle police reported deploying pepper spray after protesters threw fireworks "nearly striking officers in the process" and cut security cameras at one precinct, the department said on Twitter.

Elsewhere:

  • In Portland, Oregon, the site of months of demonstrations against police brutality, several hundred people held a rally in the rain in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center, The Oregonian reported. A drum line played in rhythm with chants of “Whose life mattered? Breonna Taylor!”

  • Citing "acts of violence & vandalism," San Diego police declared an unlawful assembly after 10 p.m. PDT in front of the downtown headquarters building, ordering demonstrators to "immediately disperse" or face possible arrest, the department said on Twitter.

  • Protesters in Cincinnati gathered at the Hamilton County Courthouse before marching through the streets. The chanted, "No justice, no peace," and Taylor's name while going through downtown. Police presence in the area was minimal, the Cincinnati Enquirer of the USA TODAY Network reported.

  • Police in Asheville, North Carolina, reported that protesters left a casket full of dirt and what they called "cow manure" at the front door of the Asheville Police Department. The department tweeted a photo of the casket, along with other updates regarding protests in the area.

  • Videos on Twitter showed hundreds gathered at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Protesters there held signs like "She. Was. Sleeping." before marching and chanting Taylor's name.

  • Protesters gathered in front of the White House, with some engaging in heated conversations with police officers. There were reports on Twitter of broken windows and fireworks elsewhere in Washington amid protests.

  • Protests in Denver started peacefully, the Denver Post reported. However, a reporter shared video of a car driving through a crowd of protesters. A person who was hit said she was OK, according to the newspaper.

  • Protesters in Louisville were met by police, with some clashes becoming physical ahead of a 9 p.m. curfew announced by Mayor Greg Fischer. Police said they "may dispense chemical agents" and threatened arrests, the Courier-Journal reported.

'Vigorous' self-defense laws: Likely prevented homicide charges in Breonna Taylor's death, experts say

Former Louisville officer Brett Hankison, who was fired in June, is facing three felony counts of wanton endangerment for firing into the apartment next door to Taylor's. Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, two other officers involved in the raid, were not charged.

Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney who represents the Taylor family, called the decision "outrageous and offensive to Breonna Taylor’s memory." He added the news "falls far short of what constitutes justice."

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After Cameron's announcement, Beshear called for non-violent protests. He added he'd already seen "militia groups" walking through Louisville.

"So, be safe and the eyes of the world are on Louisville," he said. "People will hear. There are more cameras broadcasting to more places, and so I’d be mindful that they’re here so that you’re heard, and let’s try to do this in a way that makes positive change and is not used to prevent change."

Contributing: Steve Kiggins and Alex Ptachick, USA TODAY; Bailey Loosemore and Hayes Gardner, Louisville Courier-Journal; Madeline Mitchell and Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer; Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; The Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times; The Associated Press.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Breonna Taylor protests begin anew in Chicago, Milwaukee, elsewhere