Thousands of mourners gathered in Louisville, Kentucky Saturday to honor the life of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in March when police entered the apartment she shared with her boyfriend shortly after midnight as part of a “no-knock” search warrant, releasing balloons and butterflies, and singing songs.

Taylor and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker, both African-American, were sleeping in their apartment when three Louisville Metro Police Department officers forced entry into their apartment using a battering ram. Walker, a licensed firearm carrier, later told police interrogators that he heard noise outside, called out several times “Who is it?”, received no answer, and armed himself, believing intruders were breaking in. When the police entered the apartment, they were wearing plainclothes, not uniforms. According to Walker, they did not identify themselves as police.

Gunfire was exchanged and Taylor, still asleep in her bedroom, was shot at least eight times. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Walker was originally arrested and charged with first degree assault and attempted murder of a police officer, but those charges were later dropped. The three officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues, but have not been charged with any crimes. The Kentucky Attorney General has an investigation opened, and FBI opened their own in May.

Taylor’s story originally did not attract much press attention, but began to be shared on social media and then gained prominence after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police. Taylor’s name has often been mentioned by speakers and been written on posters seen at the protests that have spread across America, and around the world, for nearly two weeks.

Protesters are calling for an elimination or signification restriction on the use of no-knock raids, as well as for charges to be brought against the officers who killed Taylor.

Taylor, an emergency medical technician, would have turned 27 on Friday. Protesters gathered in downtown Louisville on Saturday to honor her life and voice their opposition to police brutality and racism.

IMAGES: Thousands gathered in downtown Louisville Saturday to remember #BreonnaTaylor. @WDRBNews #BREEWAYY pic.twitter.com/CGo48mTMqv

— Joel Schipper (@JSchipperWDRB) June 6, 2020

Hundreds of blue, white, and silver balloons were distributed throughout the crowd, who sang “Happy Birthday” for Breonna. Butterflies were released, and then a countdown, and the balloons were released into the air.

The crowd remained hours later, chanting and singing. In one particularly moving moment, “We Are The World” was played while they waved their cell phones together and Taylor’s face was projected above them.

“WE ARE THE WORLD” is playing in Jefferson Square Park. Protesters are waving their cell phones in unison as the projected face of #BreonnaTaylor looks over them. ⁦@WDRBNews⁩ pic.twitter.com/I2p4KCdT41

— Sara Sidery (@SaraSideryWDRB) June 7, 2020

 

from Mediaite https://ift.tt/2A9nPl8