Metro Council President David James tells WDRB “police saw people approaching that had leaf blowers loaded with bleach that was intended to blow at police. So they sent out the tear gas.” James says police were trying to disperse the crowd because of that.

We are trying to get answers about this, and that’s what one top city official had to say so far.

UPDATE: response from @LMPD spokesperson...

In @louisvillemayor briefing, @lmpd responds by saying leaf blowers can be used to blow chemicals & blow gas back at officers. Did NOT confirm chemicals like bleach were in fact in the leaf blowers they saw, as James said. They say the threat is what caused them to disperse crowd