This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
June 24, 2020, marked a significant development in the Breonna Taylor case as the Louisville Metro Police Department fired one of the officers involved in her fatal shooting.
The officer, Brett Hankison, was terminated for violating the department's policy on the use of deadly force. According to Chief Robert Schroeder, Hankison 'wantonly and blindly' fired 10 shots into Taylor's apartment on March 13.
During the raid, Taylor's boyfriend shot one officer in the leg, prompting the officers to return fire and kill Taylor, 26. The incident sparked widespread protests in Louisville, Kentucky, and led to the banning of no-knock warrants by Mayor Greg Fischer.
Despite the lack of charges against Hankison and the two other officers present at the scene, the Police Department's recent revelations suggest that Hankison acted recklessly by shooting through a patio door and window with an obstructed view. Some of the rounds he fired endangered the lives of three people in a neighboring apartment.
Chief Schroeder described Hankison's conduct as 'a shock to the conscience' and stated that his actions discredited the Police Department.
