Two Louisville police officers were shot on Wednesday night during a protest as just one of the three police officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death was indicted on first-degree wanton endangerment charges. None of them was directly linked to Taylor’s killing.
Two other officers, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, who was involved in shooting Taylor were not charged. Brett Hankinson, the indicted officer could face up to five years in prison for the charges. Protestors demand that the officers be charged with more serious felony counts.
Angry protests took place all over the country in retaliation to the decision made in Breonna Taylor’s case— protestors marched on streets of New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
Taylor died after being shot multiple times by the police who burst into her home during a drug raid gone wrong. No drugs were found in Taylor’s apartment.
Some protesters were arrested after scuffles broke out with police officers at Louisville, Kentucky. The police officers who were shot were deployed at the city centre after reports of shots being fired. They are currently being treated at University hospital, where one of them is undergoing surgery but is stable. One of the officers was shot in the abdomen below his bulletproof vest, the other was shot on his thigh. One suspect concerning the shootings has been detained.
In response to the officers being shot, President Donald Trump tweeted, “Praying for the two police officers that were shot tonight in Louisville, Kentucky. The Federal Government stands behind you and is ready to help. Spoke to @GovAndyBeshear and we are prepared to work together, immediately upon request!”.
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder was quoted in a USA Today report as saying, “I am very concerned about the safety of our officers. Obviously, we've had two officers shot tonight and that is very serious. It's a very dangerous condition."
