Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said at a press conference on Thursday that the investigation into the death of Breonna Taylor “remains ongoing.”
“The investigation remains ongoing, and the specifics will not be discussed,” Cameron said about the case.
Taylor, a 26-year-old former EMT, was shot eight times when narcotics officers served a “no-knock” warrant at her Louisville home shortly after midnight on March 13. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thinking someone was breaking into the apartment, fired a weapon, hitting Louisville officer Jon Mattingly in the leg. Police then began shooting, striking Taylor eight times.
No drugs were found in the apartment, and the man police were looking for, a former boyfriend of Taylor’s, had been taken into custody hours before Taylor was killed.
Cameron said he knows the case is both high-profile and sensitive, saying, “You have my commitment that our office is undertaking a thorough and fair investigation. We hear you and are working around the clock.”
Cameron noted that he is in receipt of reports offered by the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit outlining its investigation into the action of the three officers involved in the shooting: Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove. All three have been placed on administrative reassignment. In an unrelated inquiry, Hankison is being investigated for sexual misconduct.
The narcotics detective involved in obtaining the “no-knock” warrant, Det. Joshua Jaynes, has also been placed on administrative reassignment.
In reassigning Jaynes, Interim Louisville Metro Police Chief Rob Schroeder cited a U.S. Postal Inspector who said police did not use his office to verify that a drug suspect was receiving packages at Taylor’s apartment, one of the factors listed in Jaynes’ request for a “no-knock” warrant for her home, according to WAVE3.com.
Along with LMPD’s inquiry and Cameron’s investigation, last week, Schroeder said the Taylor case has been referred to federal authorities.
“This matter has also been referred to the FBI,” he said. “This is all part of the process of getting to the truth of what happened that night, and leading up to that night.”
Taylor, a former EMT, worked at two hospitals, University of Louisville Jewish Hospital and Norton Healthcare. At the time of her death she was working at University of Louisville Health.
(Photo of Breonna Taylor, courtesy of Heavy.com)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
