LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The outcry has reverberated for weeks online and at demonstrations nationwide: Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.
It's been three months since her shooting death in Louisville, Kentucky. So far, Louisville Metro Police have dismissed one of the three detectives who fired into her apartment in March.
Protesters, celebrities and others are wondering why the case is taking so long and many in Louisville say they're frustrated by the slow process. Stars like Beyoncé have written a letter urging Kentucky’s attorney general to move swiftly.
The state's top prosecutor says it takes time and patience to do an investigation properly.
"However, I can assure you at the end of our investigation, we will do what is right. We will find the truth," Attorney General Daniel Cameron said on June 18.
According to an arrest report, LMPD Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Detectives Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove entered Breonna Taylor's home around 12:40 a.m. on March 13 during a narcotics investigation. The officers were met with gunfire after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker reportedly shot Sgt. Mattingly in the leg.
The officers returned fire, hitting Breonna Taylor eight times. Taylor died from her injuries.
Attorneys said Walker, a registered gun owner, was acting in self-defense and thought someone was breaking into the apartment. Walker was initially charged with assault and attempted murder, but those charges were dismissed "without prejudice," which means Walker could be indicted on the charges again if the investigation brought sufficient evidence.
LMPD Chief Robert Schroeder finalized Detective Brett Hankison's termination on June 23. The termination letter says Hankison "blindly" fired ten rounds into Taylor's apartment on March 13. Hankison's lawyer has already appealed the termination.
Detective Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly are still employed by the Louisville Metro Police Department and none of them are currently facing any charges.
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