Photo: Jordan Fisher
Taylor, a 26-year-old aspiring nursewho had been working as an EMT, was in her apartment with her boyfriend, Kenny Walker, shortly after midnight on the night of March 13 when Louisville Metro Police officers charged through her door on ano-knock warrantlooking for a suspected drug dealer. Walker, who feared an intruder, fired a shot, and in response police fired more than 20 rounds, killing Taylor.
After Taylor was shot, Walker says he didn’t know it was police who killed her. He says he heard officers outside yelling for him to come outside. He feared police would shoot him when they saw him — but he urgently needed to get Taylor aid, so he went outside.
“The only way for her to possibly even get some help is if I go outside,” he says. “So either they’re gonna shoot and kill me and then come help her, or they’re gonna talk to me and then come help her. Either way I have to come outside.”
Breonna Taylor.Breonna Taylor/instagram
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Moments later, Walker pleads through tears, “What is this about? We’re both just regular working people!”
Then, while sobbing, he says, “My girlfriend is dead.”
A female officer yells back at him, “I don’t give a — keep walking!”
On the night of Taylor’s killing, the suspected drug dealer police were looking for had been arrested at a different location prior to Taylor’s fatal shooting. The suspected dealer didn’t even live in Taylor’s building.
Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor’s mother.Brandon Bell/Getty Images
After Taylor’s killing, Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer and assault, but the charges were dropped in 2020 when the case drew widespread outrage.
JoshuaJaynes; Brett Hankison; Kyle Meany.
Kelly Goodlett.Louisville Metro Police Department
Goodlet’s guilty plea marked the first conviction in connection with Taylor’s death. She awaits sentencing.
A new episode ofRed Table Talkfeaturing Breonna Taylor’s mother, sister and only witness, her boyfriend Kenny Walker, will stream Wednesday, October 12 at 9am PT/12pm ET on Facebook Watch.
To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:
- Campaign Zero (joincampaignzero.org) which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.
*ColorofChange.orgworks to make government more responsive to racial disparities.
source: people.com
