Louisville Cop Charged in Breonna Taylor Case Was Indicted for Stray Bullets That Entered Another Apartment, Not Breonna Taylor’s

 

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced on Wednesday that there will be no charges filed against two of the Louisville police officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor, while the third was charged with “wanton endangerment.”

Detective Brett Hankison, who is not the officer who shot Breonna Taylor, has been indicted on three counts of “wanton endangerment in the first degree” by a grand jury. However, the charges stem from bullets that entered another apartment — not for shooting at Taylor.

Hankison had fired into the apartment, but the bullets went through to another apartment where three people were present.

Wanton endangerment is a Class D felony, punishable by one to five years in prison.

A riot was already forming within minutes of the announcement.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer issued a preemptive state of emergency for the city earlier this week in anticipation of the announcement. Fischer said that the reason for the state of emergency is the “potential for civil unrest.”

“Our goal is ensuring space and opportunity for potential protesters to gather and express their First Amendment rights after the announcement,” Fischer said in a statement. “At the same time, we are preparing for any eventuality to keep everyone safe.

Taylor was killed during a knock and announce drug raid on March 13, during which her boyfriend shot at police and they returned fire. LMPD Sgt. Jon Mattingly was shot during the exchange and has now recovered.

There were hundreds, possibly thousands, of threats that the city would burn if the officers were not charged.

On Tuesday, one of the three officers involved in the shooting, LMPD Sgt. Mattingly sent a strongly worded email to his colleagues blasting the city leadership for failing the police. He and the two other detectives involved, Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison, were placed on administrative leave following the incident. Hankison was later fired for shooting 10 rounds into Taylor’s apartment, but he is appealing the decision.

In the email to his peers on Tuesday morning, Mattingly wrote that “I’m sorry your families have to go through this. I’m sorry the Mayor, Amy Hess and Chief Conrad failed all of us in epic proportions for their own gain and to cover their asses.”

Mattingly added, “you DO NOT DESERVE to be in this position. The position that allows thugs to get in your face and yell, curse and degrade you. Throw bricks, bottles and urine on you and expect you to do nothing. It goes against EVERYTHING we were all taught in the academy. The position that if you make a mistake during one of the most stressful times in your career, the department and FBI (who aren’t cops and would piss their pants if they had to hold the line) go after you for civil rights violations. Your civil rights mean nothing, but the criminal has total autonomy.”

Under a state of emergency, city officials closed down a perimeter of more than 25-blocks of the city to traffic. Most city administrative buildings and other businesses were boarded up. There have been over 100 days of protests in the city over this case.