TSR Updatez: Louisville’s mayor announced today that Louisville Metro Police will be terminating Brett Hankison, one of the three officers who killed Breonna Taylor.
Hankison is being accused by the department’s interim chief, Robert Schroeder, of “blindly” firing 10 rounds into Breonna’s apartment, “creating a substantial danger of death and serious injury,” according to USA Today. The other two officers, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, are still employed but have been placed on administrative reassignment.
“I find your conduct a shock to the conscience,” Schroeder wrote in a Friday letter to Hankison laying out the charges against him. “I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion.”
Schroeder continued, “The result of your action seriously impedes the Department’s goal of providing the citizens of our city with the most professional law enforcement agency possible. I cannot tolerate this type of conduct by any member of the Louisville Metro Police Department,” he added. “Your conduct demands your termination.”
Breonna was shot at least eight times in her apartment by the officers on March 13th while they entered to serve a no-knock warrant. Her boyfriend thought officers were intruders and fried a shot as they entered and Bronna was shot by the ensuing gunfire from officers.
News of Hankison’s arrest and even the legislation that has been passed in Breonna’s name to further prevent a similar incident clearly does not meet the demands of those calling for justice.
Protesters, supporters and even celebrities have asked officials to bring charges against the officers for Breonna’s shooting. Beyonce penned a moving letter to Kentucky’s attorney general asking for action to be taken immediately as it has been three months since Breonna’s death.
Fischer, in a Friday news conference announcing Hankison’s termination, declined further comment.
“Unfortunately, due to a provision in state law that I would very much like to see changed, both the chief and I are precluded from talking about what brought us to this moment or even the timing of this decision,” Fischer said.
Hankison in recent weeks also has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women in now viral social media posts. The allegations are similar, saying that he offered intoxicated women a ride home from bars before he allegedly sexually assaulted them.
A spokeswoman for LMPD said last week that the department was “looking into the allegations.”
We’ll keep you posted on any updates in Breonna’s case.
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