Shooting of Breonna Taylor

On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American emergency medical technician, was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers. Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly, Detective Brett Hankison, and Detective Myles Cosgrove forced entry into her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky under the authority of a search warrant. Gunfire was exchanged between Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, and LMPD officers. Walker said he believed that the officers were intruders. The LMPD officers fired over twenty shots, Taylor was shot eight times and Mattingly was injured by gunfire. Another police officer and an LMPD lieutenant were on the scene when the warrant was executed. The LMPD investigation was searching for two people who were already in police custody and suspected of selling controlled substances from a drug house more than 10 miles (16 km) away. One of the people in custody, Jamarcus Glover, had a prior relationship with Taylor. The search warrant included Taylor's residence because it was suspected of receiving drugs in the case and because a car registered to Taylor had been seen parked on several occasions in front of Glover's house. No drugs were found in the apartment. Walker was licensed to carry a firearm and fired first, injuring a law enforcement officer, whereupon police returned fire into the apartment with more than 20 rounds. According to a wrongful death lawsuit filed against the police by the Taylor family's attorney, the officers entered the home without knocking or announcing that they were police officers, and allegedly opened fire "with a total disregard for the value of human life." Persons involved: -Breonna Taylor was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her parents were Tamika Palmer and Troy Herrod. She graduated from Western High School and went on to study at the University of Kentucky. She was an emergency medical technician[10] and worked at two hospitals, University of Louisville Jewish Hospital and Norton Healthcare. At the time of her death, she was working for University of Louisville Health. Her funeral was held on March 21, 2020. -Kenneth Walker was Taylor's boyfriend, who lived with her in the apartment. -Jonathan Mattingly is an LMPD police sergeant who joined the department in 2000. -Brett Hankison is an LMPD plainclothes detective. -Myles Cosgrove is an LMPD plainclothes detective. Shooting: Shortly after midnight on March 13, 2020, Louisville police entered the apartment of Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker using a battering ram to force open the door. The police were investigating two men they believed were selling drugs, allegedly unaware the men were already in custody. The Taylor/Walker home was included in a signed "no-knock" search warrant because police said one of the men used it to receive packages. The suspected drug dealer had allegedly been seen walking into Taylor's apartment one January afternoon with a USPS package before leaving and driving to a known drug house, and the warrant said a US Postal Inspector confirmed that the man had been receiving packages at the apartment. Postal Inspector Tony Gooden has said that his office had told police there were no packages of interest being received there. Louisville police allegedly announced themselves while entering the home after knocking several times and saying they were Louisville police officers with a search warrant. Neighbors and Taylor's family dispute this, saying there was no announcement and that Walker and Taylor believed someone was breaking in, causing Walker to act in self-defense. Walker said in his police interrogation that Taylor yelled multiple times, "Who is it?" after hearing a loud bang at the door, but received no answer, and that he then armed himself. Walker, a licensed firearm carrier, shot first, striking a police officer in the leg; in response, the officers opened fire with more than 20 rounds, hitting objects in the living room, dining room, kitchen, hallway, bathroom, and both bedrooms. Taylor was shot at least eight times and pronounced dead at the scene. No drugs were found in the apartment. According to anonymous sources who spoke to WAVE3 News, one of the three officers allegedly fired blindly from the exterior of the residence, through a window with closed blinds and curtains; the sources said they do not believe Taylor was struck by any of the bullets fired by the officer who was outside. Investigations and legal proceedings: All officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative reassignment pending the outcome of an investigation. Walker: Walker initially faced criminal charges of first-degree assault and attempted murder of a police officer. The LMPD officers said they announced themselves before entering the home and were immediately met with gunfire from Walker. Walker discharged his firearm first, injuring an officer. Walker's lawyer said Walker thought that someone was entering the residence illegally and that Walker acted only in self-defense. The 911 calls were later released to the public, with Walker recorded telling the 911 operator, "somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend". Walker was later released from jail due to coronavirus concerns, which drew criticism from Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad. On May 22, Judge Olu Stevens released Walker from home incarceration. In late May, Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Wine moved to dismiss all charges against Walker. The case could be presented to a grand jury again after reviewing the results of the FBI's and the Kentucky Attorney General's Office's investigations. Wine dropped the charges because the officers never mentioned Taylor by name to the grand jury or that they shot her. Walker's close friends said that his job was to protect Taylor at any cost. Rob Eggert, an attorney representing Walker, released a statement saying, "he just wanted to resume his life". At the same time, his attorney said that he could be charged again later as more facts come out of the shooting. Taylor's family: On May 15, Taylor's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit. It states that Taylor and Walker were sleeping in their bedroom before the incident happened, and that the police officers were in unmarked vehicles. None of the officers were wearing body cameras, as all three were plainclothes narcotics officers. Taylor and Walker thought their home had been broken into by criminals and that "they were in significant, imminent danger." The lawsuit alleges that "the officers then entered Breonna's home without knocking and without announcing themselves as police officers. The Defendants then proceeded to spray gunfire into the residence with a total disregard for the value of human life." FBI: On May 21, 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s Louisville office announced it had opened an investigation. Robert Brown, special agent in charge for the office, said, "The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence and will ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair, thorough and impartial manner." Aftermath: On May 14, photos were released to the public in The Courier-Journal by Sam Aguiar, an attorney representing Taylor's family. The photos show bullet damage in their apartment and the apartment next door. On May 21, after intense local and national criticism for the department's handling of the case, Police Chief Steve Conrad announced his retirement, effective June 30. The LMPD has also announced that it will require all sworn officers to wear body cameras and will change how it carries out search warrants. On May 27, the LMPD said it had received multiple death threats like "All cops need to die" and "kill pigs". On May 20, officers were responding to a 911 call near Taylor's apartment and multiple people threw pieces of concrete at them and then ran away. No officers were injured. On May 29, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer indefinitely suspended the use of "no knock" warrants. On June 1, Police Chief Conrad was fired after the fatal shooting of black business owner David McAtee. Protests: On May 26, 2020, multiple protesters, including friends and family of Taylor, surrounded Mayor Fischer's office, demanding the three officers be arrested and charged with murder. On May 28, 500 to 600 demonstrators marched in Downtown Louisville, chanting, "No justice, no peace, prosecute police!" and "Breonna, Breonna, Breonna!" The protests continued into the early morning of May 29, when seven people were shot; one was in critical condition. At the same time, Taylor's sister, Juniyah Palmer, posted on her Facebook page, "At this point y'all are no longer doing this for my sister! You guys are just vandalizing stuff for NO reason, I had a friend ask people why they are there most didn't even know the 'protest' was for my sister." These protests and demonstrations were part of the nationwide reaction to the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who was killed by Minneapolis police on May 25. Reactions: For weeks after Taylor's death, there was very little public reaction or response from government officials. The LMPD has not provided many details about the shooting or answers to questions about the case. Taylor's death gained national attention when activist Shaun King posted about her shooting death on social media. On May 13, 2020, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear responded to reports about Taylor's death and said the public deserved to know everything about the March raid. Beshear requested that Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and local and federal prosecutors review the Louisville police's initial investigation "to ensure justice is done at a time when many are concerned that justice is not blind." On May 14, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and LMPD Chief Steve Conrad announced they had asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney to review the local findings of the Public Integrity Unit's investigation when it is completed.