A prominent Louisville demonstrator has passed away in a botched carjacking Monday, leaving behind a mourning community of protesters that considered him their leader.
21-year-old Hamza “Travis” Nagdy died shortly after midnight becoming the 145th homicide victim in Louisville this year.
In the course of the last seven months, since Breonna Taylor’s murder on March 13, Travis has become the voice of subsequent protesters.
He was always present amongst the crowds of demonstrators, easily recognizable thanks to his bullhorn and his “creative exhortations.”
That was clear at his vigil held Monday evening in Jefferson Square Park where over 200 people gathered to mourn the late shaggy rebellious by chanting his refrains.
“I remember that every time I saw Travis – everybody knows he had all of his hair- every time he laid eyes on me, he would just take off running, with his arms out to the sky, and he’d just wrap his arms around me all of the time and hug me so tight every day,” protester Chaunda Lee said.
“This is a huge loss. He had plans, he had goals, he had hard times, he worked through those; he was strong.”
Nagdy’s mentor Antonio Taylor said that many in Louisville will miss him.
“He’s irreplaceable. Travis really believed he could help change systemic racism. He believed he could be a big part of that change. He was inspiring, encouraging, so willing to learn; He was just a beacon of hope, him and his megaphone.”
