“If her boyfriend hadn’t fired shots at the officers, she would be alive.”
“Just comply with the officers.”
If you have uttered these two phrases in your lifetime, you are incredibly callous.
Breonna Taylor was an innocent bystander when she was murdered, March 13. The woman was sleeping when officers came into her home that wasn’t even the house the officers were looking for. That operation was completely botched and resulted in two innocent deaths, her and her boyfriend. The dilemma wasn’t far off from a home invasion.
Detective Brett Hankinson, who was working the operation at the time, fired into Taylor’s apartment sliding glass door that was covered in blinds, which is a clear violation of Louisville’s county policy pertaining to line of sight. This break-in, yes, an illegal break-in, should have severe ramifications. Her current boyfriend Kenneth Walker, who had been on the defensive given the nature of Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, quickly grabbed a gun to defend Taylor and himself. Ironically, Taylor had just severed ties with her ex to avoid life-threatening situations. These actions were justified, therefore the officers involved deserve indictment for their murderous actions.
If you haven’t read the latest news on the case, a grand jury indicted only Hankinson on three counts of wanton endangerment charges for her neighbors. This event translates into “Breonna Taylor’s life didn’t matter.” The fact she was killed in her own home under false pretenses wasn’t germane. The acrid offense committed by the officers goes scott free. It’s disgusting really.
This does not have to be the end of Taylor’s story, however. Keep uttering her name on social media; keep uttering her name during protests; and keep uttering it to anyone who will listen.
