Amazon Quiz: Where was this woman shot?
Illinois
Michigan
Kentucky
Virginia
Answer: Kentucky
On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was shot and killed by police officers in her Louisville, Kentucky home. The officers were executing a search warrant as part of a drug investigation, but no drugs were found in Taylor’s home.
The officers involved in the shooting were Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove. Mattingly and Cosgrove were involved in the shooting, while Hankison was fired for “blindly” firing ten rounds into Taylor’s apartment.
The events leading up to the shooting began when the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) obtained a search warrant for Taylor’s home. The warrant was part of a larger investigation into a drug trafficking operation, but Taylor was not the target of the investigation. The warrant allowed the police to search Taylor’s home for drugs and other evidence.
At around 12:40 a.m., the officers arrived at Taylor’s apartment and knocked on the door. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was present at the time and believed the officers to be intruders. He fired a warning shot, which struck Mattingly in the thigh. In response, the officers fired multiple shots into the apartment, hitting Taylor multiple times. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The LMPD claimed that the officers announced themselves before entering the apartment, but Walker and other witnesses dispute this claim. The LMPD also stated that the officers were justified in using deadly force because they were fired upon first.
The shooting of Breonna Taylor sparked outrage and protests in Louisville and across the country, as it was seen as another example of police violence against Black people. The LMPD faced intense criticism for its handling of the case and for the lack of transparency in its investigation.
On September 23, 2020, a grand jury indicted Hankison on three counts of wanton endangerment for firing into neighboring apartments. Mattingly and Cosgrove were not charged. The decision was met with widespread disappointment and anger, as many believed that the officers involved in the shooting should have faced more serious charges.
The case of Breonna Taylor highlights the issue of police brutality and the need for accountability and reform in law enforcement. It also shines a light on the disproportionate impact of police violence on Black communities. Taylor’s death serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for justice and equality in the United States.
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