by Bob Walsh
The death of Breonna Taylor in Lousiville, KY. on March 13 was both tragic and stupid. Three officers, none in uniform, served a no-knock warrant in the wee hours of the morning expecting to find drugs. The occupants thought they were on the wrong end of a home invasion. They called the cops and Taylor's boyfriend came up with his own gat and fired at what he believed to be intruders. He shot one cop in he leg.
Bret Hankison was one of the three officers there. All three fired in return. Hankison, however, fired at least 10 rounds, possibly as many as 20, blind, from outside of the apartment thru a window that had blinds drawn over it. Ms. Taylor, an EMT, was shot eight times and died.
Officer Hankison has been on the wrong end of at least one prior reckless conduct beef. The interim police chief, Robert Schroeder, expressed that he was "alarmed and stunned" at Hankison's use of deadly force in the fashion that he did. He added, "Your conduct demands your termination." The other two officers, Sgt. Mattingly and Officer Cosgrove, fired from inside the apartment and have been reassigned pending further investigation.
The FOP has declined comment.
Hankison is also under investigation for multiple cases of alleged sexual assault of intoxicated women. He allegedly offers them a lift home from a bar and sexually assaults them. Those allegations are being looked at but apparently did not come to light before the shooting.
It would also be interesting to know what the genesis of the complaint was that led to a no-knock warrant being issued. As far as I know neither of the occupants of the apartment had a drug history and zero illegal substances were found in the apartment.
If I recall correctly Louisville P D is no longer applying for no-knock warrants and the Kentucky legislature is moving to outlaw them in the state.
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