Louisville oversight group to probe mayor’s office response to Breonna Taylor case

The Louisville Metro Council announced on Monday that its government oversight committee plans to launch a probe into the steps taken by Mayor Greg Fischer (D) and members of his administration leading up to and after the police killing of Breonna Taylor.

The council said in a release that Brent Ackerson (D), chairman of the Government Oversight and Audit Committee, and Vice Chairman Anthony Piagentini (R) intend to file a bipartisan resolution initiating the investigation. 

“This investigation is meant to investigate topics such as government transparency and the failure of such, the events surrounding the death of David McAtee, and the use of force during portions of the protests,” the council said in the release.

Taylor, a 26-year-old Black EMT, died in March after she was fatally shot by plainclothes police who arrived at her home in Louisville late at night to execute a no-knock warrant as part of a drug case. No drugs were found during the search. The announcement comes a week after one of the officers involved in the shooting was fired. 

McAtee, 53, was a black restaurant owner in the city who was fatally shot by police and National Guard members earlier this month. At the time, authorities were reportedly returning fire after being shot at amid protests in the region.    

The council said in the release that the bipartisan resolution will be read during a meeting in late July. 

“The matters to be investigated pertain to knowledge the public has demanded and has a right to know about. The Metro Council will ensure that the citizens of Louisville receive the transparency they deserve,” Ackerson said in a statement.

“We have heard the cries of our citizens. They are demanding more transparency about who made what decisions and why related to these troubling events,” Piagentini said. “We will do what we are elected to do.” 

“We will represent the people and ensure our local government is transparent and that local leaders are held accountable for their decisions,” he added.