June 20 (UPI) — The Louisville Metro Police have initiated the process to fire Officer Brett Hankison, one of three officers who fired weapons into Breonna Taylor’s apartment on March 13 while executing a no-knock search warrant, killing her, Mayor Greg Fischer said Friday.
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder accused Hankison of “blindly” firing 10 rounds into the apartment. Taylor, who was not the subject of the warrant, died from police gunfire at the scene.
“I find your conduct a shock to the conscience,” Schroeder said Friday in a letter detailing charges against Hankison. “I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion. The result of your action seriously impedes the department’s goal of providing the citizens of our city with the most professional law enforcement agency possible. Your conduct demands your termination.”
Ryan Nichols, of the River City Fraternal Order of Police, declined to comment on the letter and said he did not know of Hankison’s next move.
Louisville Urban League President Sadiqa Reynolds said the firing letter was a “long overdue” first step in addressing the incident, which helped spark protests around the country against police brutality.
“We must also understand how an officer like Hankison makes it onto the merit board, given his troubled history with operating procedure,” Reynolds said. “It is right that he would be fired for killing Breonna and if justice had to be delayed we are thankful that it started on Juneteenth. We are not where we should be, but we have started the march to justice.”
Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officer Myles Cosgrove, the two other officers who fired their weapons in the apartment, are currently on administrative assignment.
