A Kentucky officer was formally fired Tuesday for his role in the March 13 death of Breonna Taylor, an EMT who police allegedly shot eight times while executing a no-knock warrant at the wrong home.
Louisville Metro police Interim Chief Robert Schroeder wrote in a letter that after Tuesday’s pre-termination hearing, he’s decided to fire Brett Hankison, 44, effective immediately. Schroeder accused Hankison of “blindly” firing 10 rounds into Taylor’s apartment and the unit next door, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Hankison was one of three Louisville police officers involved in March’s raid, which resulted in Taylor’s death. Reports indicated that Taylor, 26, was in bed sleeping when police fatally shot her.
“I find your conduct a shock to the conscience,” Schroeder said to Hankison, according to the Courier-Journal. “I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion.”
Louisville Metro police claimed they announced themselves and returned gunfire to Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, 27. Walker was initially charged with the attempted murder of a police officer and first-degree assault, but prosecutors dropped the charges due to a lack of evidence.
Hankison is reportedly also the subject of a federal lawsuit in which he’s characterized as a “dirty cop” who planted drugs and framed people. The civil lawsuit was filed by Kendrick Wilson, who alleged that Hankinson arrested him three times between 2016 and 2018, each time at a bar Hankison was working at off-duty.
Wilson also claimed he and Hankison had a relationship with the same woman.
Hankison has 10 days to appeal the police chief’s decision.
No members of law enforcement have been criminally charged or arrested in connection with Taylor’s death.
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[Featured image: Breonna Taylor/Instagram; Brett Hankison/Louisville Metro Police Department]
