(TriceEdneyWire.com) – The Louisville Metro Police Department Tuesday, June 30, fired Brett Hankison, one of three officers involved in the March 13 murder of Breonna Taylor during a raid of her apartment.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Police Chief Robert J. Schroeder wrote in a termination letter to Hankison, a detective, stating that he violated rules and regulations and the department’s use of force policy.
“I find your conduct a shock to the conscience. I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion. You have never been trained by the Louisville Metro Police Department to use deadly force in this fashion. Your actions have brought discredit upon yourself and the department,” Schroeder wrote, adding that Hankison’s conduct “demands his termination, effective immediately.”
Chief Schroeder had announced June 19th that he planned to fire Hankison.
Taylor, a 26-year EMT technician who wanted to become a nurse, was shot eight times by Hankison during the raid that began at 12:40 a.m. Her bleeding bullet riddled body was found in the apartment’s hallway. Schroeder said Hankison wildly fired a total of 10 shots, endangering Taylor’s neighbors who lived in the apartment next door. He also fired through a covered patio door.
Hankison, Sgt. John Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, used a no-knock warrant to batter down the door to Taylor’s apartment.
Kenneth Walker, her boyfriend, who was spending the night with Taylor, believed like Taylor, burglars were breaking into the apartment. Walker, a registered gun owner, fired his pistol wounding Mattingly in the leg. Initially Walker was charged with a crime, but the charge was later dropped.
The police raided Taylor’s apartment because they claimed they were looking for drugs. No drugs were found. Neither Taylor nor Walker have a history of illegal drug use.
All three cops were placed on administrative leave. Though Hankison has been fired none of the cops have been charged with Taylor’s murder.
