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."
One Florida man has quickly gained the attention of 3 million followers for his funny way of interrupting viral videos with simple "fun facts". TikTok content creator Justin "Danger" Nunley, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Eli and Peyton Manning's "Monday Night Football" telecast on ESPN2 has quickly gained attraction and has now become one of the most talked-about popular sportscasts this season. The show has now become a huge success. Sports Agent Anthony Tall joined Cheddar to discuss more.
In a recent ProPublica report, a number of former students and staff have called out Liberty University for bullying them after reporting sexual assaults. According to them, the evangelical university silenced them and often forced them to sign a document acknowledging the school's moral code called, "The Liberty Way". Essentially the code bares drinking alcohol and “being in any state of undress with a member of the opposite sex.” Abrams Reporting Fellow at ProPublica Hannah Dreyfus, joined Cheddar to break it all down.
Leaders around the world have come together to discuss plans to bring action towards the Paris Agreement along with solutions on how to solve the evolving climate change crisis at the COP26 Summit. President and CEO of Center for International Environmental Law Carroll Muffett, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Carlo and Baker cover the big races to watch on this off-cycle Election Day, the concrete pledges starting to come out of COP26, Jeffrey Epstein keeps causing CEOs to lose their jobs, and Ryan Murphy's TV hit that wasn't.
The UN climate change conference kicked off on Sunday with about 120 world leaders and delegates gathering in Glasgow, Scotland this week, as experts continue to warn about the harms of heightened emissions and the effects on climate change. The topic of ESG investing is expected to be a top priority at the summit. Jefferies global head of ESG and sustainability research Aniket Shah joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Gifted and talented education programs in schools throughout the United States are falling under greater scrutiny as the race and class divide in the programs remain wide. Marcia Gentry, a professor of educational studies and the director of the Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute at Purdue University, joined Cheddar to weigh in on if advanced tracking for students can also be equitable for lower income students and students of color.
Less than 30% of consumers will apply for a store credit card this holiday season according to a recent LendingTree survey. Matt Schulz, Chief Credit Analyst at LendingTree, joins Cheddar to discuss the pros and cons to store credit cards, and how 'buy now, pay later' loans are coming into play during the holiday shopping season.
