Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African American emergency medical technician (EMT), was fatally shot by police in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13, 2020. The events leading to Taylor’s death unfolded during a late-night raid conducted by the Louisville Metro Police Department.
The police had obtained a “no-knock” search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation targeting Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, who was suspected of involvement in drug trafficking. However, the warrant was later found to be flawed, as it was based on incorrect information and had already been executed at another location prior to the raid on Taylor’s apartment.
During the raid, the police used a battering ram to enter Taylor’s apartment. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep inside. Walker, believing the apartment was being broken into, fired a shot, hitting one of the officers.
The police responded by firing multiple shots, with Taylor being struck at least eight times and ultimately losing her life.
The legal proceedings surrounding Taylor’s case were complex and drew significant attention. One of the officers involved in the raid, Brett Hankison, was fired and later indicted on three counts of wanton endangerment for shots that entered neighboring apartments, but none for Taylor’s death. The other officers involved in the raid, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, were not charged.
Taylor’s case has become a symbol of the broader movement for racial justice, highlighting the need for reforms in policing practices and the pursuit of accountability for instances of police violence. Her name and story continue to be invoked in calls for change and as a reminder of the ongoing struggle against racial inequality.
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