Breonna Taylor: FBI Opens Investigation Into Shooting Death of Louisville EMT

In the days and weeks since George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, was killed by police officer Derek Chauvin, many around the world have called for justice in the case. His death has even sparked widespread protests, with individuals not only calling for justice for Floyd, but for the numerous other African American citizens who have died at the hands of the police. One of the many individuals that protesters are seeking justice for is Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT who was killed by three police officers in March after the cops opened her front door and “blindly” opened fire into her apartment. Now, over two months after the incident took place, the FBI has opened an official investigation into her death, per ABC News.

On May 21, FBI in Lousiville, Kentucky, which is where the incident took place, announced that they were opening an investigation into Taylor’s death. In a statement, which was posted on FBI Louisville’s official Twitter account, Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown said, “The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence and will ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair, thorough and impartial manner. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time.”

At the time of the March 13 incident, Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping in their apartment when three plainclothes officers attempted to execute a “no-knock” search warrant at the residence. Authorities initially accused Taylor of accepting USPS packages for an ex-boyfriend, whom police were investigating as an alleged drug trafficker and used her address. Police claimed that they knocked on Taylor’s apartment door several times before using a ram to open it. They then alleged that they were met by gunfire. Walker explained that he called 911 and fired one shot from his licensed firearm. He was later charged with shooting Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the leg. Although, the charges have since been dismissed pending indictment. During this incident, Taylor was shot at least eight times and died in her home.

According to the Lousiville Courier-Journal, all three officers involved in this incident have been placed on administrative leave. However, none of them have been charged with any crimes. Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney who is also representing Floyd’s family, said in late May in regards to Taylor’s case, “Kenneth Walker and Breonna Taylor did everything right the night police ambushed their home, killing Breonna. While dismissing the charges is the right thing to do, it comes more than two months after Breonna was killed and Kenneth was arrested…Until everyone involved is held accountable and the full truth of what happened that night is revealed, justice for Kenneth and Breonna is incomplete.”