Louisville activist arrested for attempted murder of mayoral candidate pushed socialism, gun control

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The suspect charged in Monday’s targeted shooting of Louisville, Kentucky, mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg has been identified as an activist for civil rights and gun control. 

Quintez Brown, 21, was charged with attempted murder and four counts of wanton endangerment, the Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

Brown previously worked for the Louisville Courier Journal as an intern and an editorial columnist, according to the newspaper. In December, Brown shared a short campaign video on Twitter announcing that he was running to represent District 5 for Louisville’s Metro Council in 2022. His writing advocates for the ideals of communism, socialism, liberation and has criticized "gun-loving" Republicans. 

As a freshman in college, Brown also reportedly was selected to meet former President Obama. 

LOUISVILLE MAYORAL CANDIDATE CRAIG GREENBERG TARGETED IN SHOOTING, POLICE SAY

Greenberg is a Democrat, and police have not provided details about the possible motive for the shooting. 

The Louisville Metro Police Department responded around 10:15 a.m. Monday after multiple shots were fired at Greenberg’s campaign headquarters in Butchertown. Investigators say Greenberg was not struck and no one else was injured.

Louisville Democratic mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg during a news conference in Louisville, Kentucky, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022.  (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Police said an article of clothing Greenberg was wearing was struck, and the candidate said his sweater was grazed by a bullet. Greenberg said the suspect had walked into the campaign office, pulled out a gun, "aimed directly at me and began shooting." 

"Today is not a day for politics, but it’s not lost on me that the violence my staff and I experienced today is far too common in our city," Greenberg said, also thanking the Louisville Metro Police. "Too many Louisville families have experienced the trauma of gun violence. Too many aren't as blessed as me." 

The arrest report, obtained by Fox News, said a man later identified as Brown entered the building and fired a 9mm Glock handgun at Greenberg. He then fled the building. About 10 minutes later, officers located a man matching the suspect description less than a half-mile away. He was found carrying a loaded 9mm magazine in his pants pocket and was taken into custody, the arrest report says. 

Surveillance video reportedly captured the incident. 

Brown is a civil rights activist who reportedly participated in 2020 racial justice demonstrations. 

In his Twitter bio, he says, "We have one scientific and correct solution, Pan-Africanism: the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism." 

In a Feb. 1 post on Instagram, Brown, using the handle "tez4liberation," shared a post celebrating "Black Radical Month" and a list of names that included convicted cop killer Assata Shakur. 

Last month, Brown published a piece on Medium.com on Jan. 10 titled, "A Revolutionary Love Letter."

"During our short stay on this glorious planet we all have been collectively dehumanized and reduced to political talking points — Black, white, liberal, conservative, Christian, criminal, boss, worker, activist, etc.," Brown wrote in the letter. "Our sick, manipulated brethren will weaponize common sense and tell us to ‘face to facts’ — as if facts are something outside of us as if life were something we encounter as foreigners*. They will tell us that communism and collectivism has never and will never work and refuse to even explore these "childish" (or inferior) ideas." 

Screenshots shared online show Brown wrote one piece for the Courier-Journal published on July 2, 2019, titled, "Kentucky’s concealed carry law shows your life doesn’t matter to gun-loving Republicans." 

As a freshman political science major at University of Louisville, Brown was one of 22 students in the country invited to the inaugural national gathering of the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance that supports boys and young men of color. He traveled to Oakland, California, and was quoted as saying he had the opportunity to shake hands with Obama himself during a two-day workshop. 

In 2018, Brown was featured in an MSNBC segment covering students participating in "March For Our Lives" protests in Washington, D.C., demanding stricter gun laws. 

The 17-year-old president of the Black Student Union at duPont Manual High School in Louisville at the time, Brown sat down with MSNBC host Joy Reid in the nation’s capital. 

Addressing Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who was the Senate majority leader at the time, Brown said students want Congress to act on guns, "and if you’re not going to give us that, then we’re going to get everyone out here to vote, and we’re going to vote you out of office." 

"Get rid of assault rifles," Brown said. 

Brown also made headlines last summer when his family reported him missing. He was found safe on July 1, about two weeks after vanishing, and his family subsequently asked for privacy and patience "while we tend to the most immediate need, which is Quintez's physical, mental and spiritual needs."

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The Courier Journal reported that Brown was an MLK scholar at the University of Louisville, a former columnist for the student newspaper, the Cardinal, and founded From Fields to Arena, a group committed to providing political education and violence prevention training to youths in hip hop and athletics.