Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency medical technician. Tragically, she was shot and killed by police officers during a no-knock raid in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13, 2020. That tragic event has in many ways become a watershed moment in the national conversation about police violence against people of color and racial injustice.
On that fateful night, officers carried out a no-knock warrant for a narcotics raid. Since then, thousands have signed a petition demanding the dismissal of the warrant for including falsified information. During the raid, Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Lucien, fired a shot, leading to his arrest and charges of first-degree assault on a police officer and first-degree wanton endangerment. This chain of events led to the now-infamous death of Taylor, whose murder ignited indignation and protests across the country.
Taylor’s family responded to the public uproar by suing the city of Louisville. In addition to suing for the unconstitutional raid itself, they claim that the police used excessive force and failed to investigate her death. The city ultimately agreed to a $12 million settlement with Taylor’s family, but many criticized this as insufficient in addressing the systemic issues at play.
The three officers behind Breonna’s raid, Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove, weren’t charged criminally at all. Their actions were never punished. A grand jury subsequently indicted them on multiple charges stemming from the incident. Unbelievably, this development led to the acquittal of these officers, inciting even more protests and resulting in public outrage, demanding accountability.
The repercussions from Breonna Taylor’s death led to nationwide protests and calls for police reform in cities across the United States. For the last three years, activists have demanded that qualified immunity—the legal argument that shields police officers from lawsuits for alleged misconduct—be abolished. Still, the incident has brought national attention to some serious issues with police behavior and accountability, especially in communities of color.
The Louisville police department’s actions during the raid have been under withering attack since that night. Each of these events have raised widespread alarm and public outcry. The department placed the involved officers on administrative leave following public outcry, yet many advocates argue that this does not go far enough in ensuring justice.
Breonna Taylor’s family and supporters are still fighting to ensure police reform is enacted and justice is served for her tragic death at such a young age. The incident remains a focal point in ongoing discussions about systemic racism and the need for accountability within law enforcement agencies.
