A protester walks down Fourth Street during a protest over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. Breonna Taylor, a black woman, was fatally shot by police in her home in March. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
By Rebecca Reynolds Yonker and Bruce Schreiner
Updated 1:51 pm ET
Louisville's mayor said Friday that one of three police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor will be fired.
Mayor Greg Fischer said interim Louisville police Chief Robert Schroeder has started termination proceedings for Officer Brett Hankison. Two other officers remain on administrative reassignment while the shooting is investigated.
Fischer said officials could not answer questions about the firing because of state law. He referred all questions to the Jefferson County attorney's office.
Taylor, who was black, was shot eight times by officers who burst into her Louisville home using a no-knock warrant during a March 13 narcotics investigation. No drugs were found at her home.
A letter the chief sent to Hankison said the officer violated standard operating procedures when he "wantonly and blindly fired 10 rounds into the apartment of Breonna Taylor."
The letter says he fired the rounds "without supporting facts" that the deadly force was directed at a person posing an immediate threat.
"In fact, the 10 rounds you fired were into a patio door and window which were covered with material that completely prevented you from verifying any person as an immediate threat or more importantly any innocent persons present," the letter states.
"I find your conduct a shock to the conscience," Schroeder said in the letter. "Your actions have brought discredit upon yourself and the Department."
Sam Aguiar, an attorney for Taylor's family said the move was overdue.
"It's about damn time. It should have happened a long time ago, but thankfully it's at least happening now," Aguiar said. "This is an officer that's plagued our streets and made this city worse for over a dozen years. ... Let's hope that this is a start to some good, strong criminal proceedings against Officer Hankison, because he definitely deserves to at least be charged."
The warrant to search Taylor's home was in connection with a suspect who did not live there. Police used a "no-knock" search warrant, which allows them to enter without first announcing their presence. Louisville's Metro Council recently voted to ban the use of no-knock warrants.
The release in late May of a 911 call by Taylor's boyfriend marked the beginning of days of protests in Louisville, fueled by Taylor's death and the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
"This really confirms why the family has been calling for justice for Breonna Taylor. It's undisputable evidence," said Christopher 2X, an anti-violence activist in Louisville.
Beyonce recently joined the call for charges against the officers involved in Taylor's shooting. The superstar said in a letter to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron that the three Louisville police officers "must be held accountable for their actions."
Spotify has announced its official Songs of the Summer predictions. Lea Palmieri, a Spotify trend expert and podcast host, joined Cheddar News to break down the acts who made the cut and how. “It's a mix of streaming data charts and also our global curation team," she said. "They're keeping an eye on all of the hottest music." While Harry Styles has recently topped the Spotify charts, Palmieri also addressed the "Feral Girl Summer" trend, which she described as going "moderately wild, having fun, enjoying yourself."
Catching you up on today's top entertainment stories with a recap from the 75th Annual Tony Awards, including red carpet interviews and Jennifer Hudson receiving her EGOT, and "Jurassic World: Dominion" topping the box office.
The Tony Awards made its sensational return to Radio City Music Hal for the first time since 2019. 'A Strange Loop' stole the show, winning Best Musical while Adrianna Debose hosted in the most spectacular way possible. Cheddar News was joined by Broadway Reporter Leigh Scheps to break down the 75th Annual Tony Awards.
U.S. stocks closed Thursday at their lowest levels of the trading day, as investors continue to eye inflation ahead of the May CPI report out Friday. Art Hogan, Chief Market Strategist for National Holdings, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
U.S. stocks closed Friday at session lows after May CPI data showed inflation in the U.S. has not peaked and is still rising rapidly. For the week, the S&P fell 5.06%, the Dow lost 4.58%, and the Nasdaq dropped 5.60%, marking the worst week since January for all three major indexes. Mike Zigmont, Head of Trading and Research at Harvest Volatility Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Benefits brokerage, Nava Benefits, raised $40 million in a Series B round. Nava says it's on a mission to fix healthcare, one benefits plan at a time. The startup is working to bring benefits to small business that are normally available to only Fortune 500 companies. Brandon Weber, Co-Founder and CEO of Nava Benefits, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Auction house Christie's will be presenting "Legacy of the GOAT," which will include a rare Michael Jordan signed rookie card and sneakers. Caitlin Donovan, the vice president of Christie's handbags and accessories department. joined Cheddar News to discuss the special memorabilia selection for the NBA great. "He's been a global phenomenon, so he's really shaped '90s culture and streetwear culture," she said. "And we see bidders from every pocket in the world."
Kona Brewing Co., pro surfer Anna Gudauskus, and surf photographer Sarah Lee are embarking on an 1,500+ mile beach cleanup down the East Coast. Gudauskus and Lee join Cheddar News to discuss the initiative.
March For Our Lives will be returning this weekend to Washington, DC, in the wake of the recent mass shooting seen throughout the country. Marchers include Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. She joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of the march and activism in general. "I just think that it's so important to have these rallies because we need to demand to our leaders and politicians that they pass legislation and that and we actually need to see action," she said.
