A Kentucky State Police ballistics report does NOT support state Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s claim that Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot one of the police officers who barged in their home the night Breonna was killed.
Why is this important? Walker’s shot was used to justify not charging the three officers who killed Breonna with her death.
Daniel Cameron said last week the investigation of Breonna’s death ruled out “friendly fire” from officer Brett Hankison as the source of the shot that went through Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly’s thigh, prompting him and officer Myles Cosgrove to return fire and kill Breonna.
But now, the Kentucky State Police ballistics report says there is no proof that Walker actually fired the shot that hit Mattingly, according to USA Today. The report said “due to limited markings of comparative value,” the 9mm bullet that hit and exited Mattingly was neither “identified nor eliminated as having been fired” from Walker’s gun.
Cameron said Hankison had been eliminated as the shooter because the three officers carried .40-caliber handguns, while Walker had a 9. But last week on CNN, one of Walker’s attorneys said he obtained a Louisville Metro Police Department record that showed Hankison had been issued a 9mm weapon as well.
While none of the officers were directly charged in the killing of Breonna Taylor, Hankison was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment for putting Breonna’s neighbors in danger.
It’s unclear how the ballistics report will play into the investigation but Breonna’s family attorney Benjamin Crump previously said the family is holding out hope that Breonna will see justice in a separate federal investigation.
We’ll keep you posted on any updates in this case.
TSR STAFF: Christina C! @cdelafresh
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