Story at a glance
- A grand jury on Wednesday decided only to indict one of the three officers involved in the deadly incident for recklessly shooting into Taylor’s neighbor’s home.
- Following the announcement, protests erupted in Louisville, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland.
- In Louisville, protesters clashed with police in riot gear on several instances and two Louisville police officers were shot Wednesday evening as they were responding to a call downtown.
Protesters took to the streets across the country Wednesday following the decision by a Kentucky grand jury not to charge any officers with the killing of Breonna Taylor in her Louisville apartment earlier this year.
Taylor was a 26-year-old Black emergency medical worker who was fatally shot by police during a raid on her home in March. Taylor’s name has become a rallying point for the Black Lives Matter movement over the past several months.
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A grand jury on Wednesday decided only to indict one of the three officers involved in the deadly incident on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment charges. The indictment against fired officer Brett Hankison is for recklessly shooting into the home next to Taylor’s with people inside, not for Taylor’s actual death.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron while announcing the decision said the other two officers involved were justified in their use of force because Taylor’s boyfriend opened fire when the officers executed a warrant at the home.
Following the announcement, protests erupted in Louisville, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Ore., and other cities due to outrage over the move not to charge the officers.
In Louisville, protesters clashed with police in riot gear on several instances and two Louisville police officers were shot Wednesday evening as they were responding to a call downtown. Neither of the officers’ injuries were life-threatening, and one suspect was arrested in connection to the shooting.
Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Robert Schroeder on Thursday said 127 people were arrested during the demonstrations and there were at least 16 instances of looting throughout the city. A 9 p.m. curfew will remain in effect in Louisville for Thursday and Friday.
In New York City, thousands of people marched through the streets and a large group marched across the Manhattan Bridge, shutting down traffic, according to The New York Times.
Overnight protests in Portland devolved into riots as marchers who moved in on the Portland Police Central Precinct hurled objects at police, including a Molotov cocktail that just missed officers in riot gear. Portland police said multiple arrests were made.
Meanwhile in Seattle, hundreds of protesters marched through downtown and at least 13 people were arrested, according to the New York Times.
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