Warning: this report contains details relating to a shooting that some readers may find upsetting.
The tragic death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old medic who was fatally shot in her home by police, has seen petitions signed by millions and protests attended by thousands in an effort to see action brought against the involved officers. Yesterday, a grand jury delivered the verdict that no charges are to be brought against the Louisville police in relation to the drug raid gone wrong. This has sparked further outrage and protests, during which two officers have been shot.
Prosecutors in Kentucky said that officers who fired at Taylor were justified in "using force" to protect themselves, says a New York Times report – Taylor was asleep when they initially entered her home, believing that her ex-partner, Jamarcus Glover, was using the address to receive parcels. At the time, Taylor's new boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was in bed with her and fired at an officer, believing Taylor's ex had broken into their apartment. Taylor was then shot at six times and died in her hallway.
Only one charge was delivered by the grand jury and it didn't relate directly to Taylor's death – the charge instead saw Brett Hankinson, a detective at the time, dismissed from the force for showing "an extreme indifference to the value of human life" because he fired shots into a sliding glass door, leading him to shoot into the homes of Taylor's neighbours. The other two officers were cleared of any wrongdoing.
The Taylor family's lawyer, Ben Crump, called the grand jury’s decision "outrageous and offensive". After the verdict was delivered, protests in Louisville turned violent and two officers were shot. Louisville Police Chief Robert Schroeder said, according to a BBC report, they did not have life-threatening injuries and a suspect was in custody.
Louisville has now been declared as being in a state of emergency and the National Guard have been deployed to back-up officers on the ground.
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Upon hearing the grand jury's verdict, President Donald Trump said, "I thought it was really brilliant." He also congratulated Kentucky's attorney general on "doing a fantastic job", adding "I think he's a star".
It's thought that no drugs were discovered in Taylor's home, although Jefferson County prosecutor Thomas Wine said previously that the search was abandoned following the shootings. The subsequent police report was also found to contain errors, including listing Taylor's injuries as "none" and stating that no force had been used to enter her home, when in fact a battering ram had been deployed.
Our thoughts are with Breonna Taylor's friends and family during this extremely difficult time.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
