One of three Louisville, Kentucky police officers was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday for wanton endangerment but none was directly charged in the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor in March.
Officers executing a no-knock search warrant broke down Taylor’s door and shot her 8 times while she slept. Since Taylor’s death, those seeking justice have called for the officers to be charged and the killing has sparked protests nationwide.
The Courier Journal reports: “The charges are for putting Taylor’s neighbors in danger, not for killing her — a move an attorney for her family called “outrageous and offensive. Former detective Brett Hankison was indicted on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly was not indicted. Detective Myles Cosgrove was not indicted.”
Tweeted attorney Ben Crump: “If Brett Hankison’s behavior was wanton endangerment to people in neighboring apartments, then it should have been wanton endangerment in Breonna Taylor’s apartment too. In fact, it should have been ruled wanton murder!”
NBC News adds: “Protesters quickly filled downtown neighborhoods after former Louisville police Detective Brett Hankison was indicted on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment connected with the shooting that ended in Taylor’s killing. Hours before the city’s 9 p.m. curfew, police declared an unlawful assembly and clashed with demonstrators, pushing and shoving some and placing others in plastic handcuffs. Tense moments played out as demonstrators and officers stood off near Jefferson Square Park.”
