The Louisville Metro police department on June 23 fired a police officer who was involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old woman who was killed in her home in March.
Schroeder also said that Hankison violated the rule against using deadly force. The letter states that his termination would be effective immediately.
Taylor, a Kentucky medical worker, was killed in her home on March 13 after law enforcement officers executed a “no-knock” drug warrant after midnight. No-knock warrants allow law enforcement officials enter a residence forcibly without having to announce their purpose or identifying themselves as police.
Hankison was one of three officers involved in her shooting.
Kenneth Walker, the boyfriend of Taylor, fired a handgun which he legally owned, believing the Louisville home he and Taylor shared was being broken into.
In the confrontation, a police officer was struck by a round. Police returned fire, hitting Taylor eight times, resulting in her death. No drugs were found in the home.
Hankison’s firing comes after Mayor Greg Fischer announced Friday that Schroeder had started termination proceedings for Hankison while two other officers remain on administrative reassignment as the shooting is investigated.
“I find your conduct a shock to the conscience,” he continued. “I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion.”
“Your conduct demands your termination,” Schroeder wrote. “I have the utmost confidence in my decision to terminate your employment for the best interest for the Louisville Metro Police Department and our community.”
Sam Aguiar, an attorney for Taylor’s family, previously said the move to fire Hankison was long overdue. “It’s about damn time,” he said, adding Hankison was an officer who “plagued our streets and made this city worse for over a dozen years.”
“Let’s hope that this is a start to some good, strong criminal proceedings against Officer Hankison, because he definitely deserves to at least be charged,” Aguiar added.
Protesters calling for justice in Taylor’s shooting have taken their calls to the streets amid the international protests after the May 25 death of George Floyd who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes.
“After talking with Breonna Taylor’s family, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s long past time to get rid of no-knock warrants. This bill will effectively end no-knock raids in the United States,” said Sen. Paul.