A Kentucky representative honored Breonna Taylor on the floor of the U.S. House in Washington D.C. on the fifth anniversary of her death.”
Breonna loved her family, her community, and above all, she loved life,” said Rep.
Morgan McGarvey, a Democrat from Louisville, on Wednesday, March 13.
“In the face of injustice, we cannot remain silent. We must speak up. We must say her name. Breonna Taylor.”
Taylor, 26, was fatally shot during a “no-knock” raid at her Louisville apartment on March 13, 2020.
Her death sparked widespread protests, which intensified later that year following the killing of George Floyd by police.
Taylor was killed when Louisville police officers entered her apartment while executing a search warrant for a drug dealer allegedly connected to her address.
However, the suspected drug dealer did not reside in the building and had been arrested elsewhere.
Believing an intruder was at the door, Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a warning shot as the officers began entering.
In response, officers fired 22 rounds, five of which struck Taylor, who lay on the floor of her home gasping for air for five minutes before dying.
Officer Brett Hankison was convicted of one count of civil rights abuse for firing five shots through Taylor’s bedroom window, which was covered by blinds and a curtain.
Hankison has yet to be sentenced and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Taylor’s death resulted in a city-wide ban on no-knock warrants. In addition, her family was awarded $12 million by the city of Louisville after filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
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