Police Shouldn't Have Opened Fire in Breonna Taylor's Home: Report

By Mary Webber First Posted: May 10, 2021 02:08 AM EDT

An internal investigation found that police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor should not have fired their guns.

The internal probe's findings were contradicted by senior officials in the Louisville Metro Police Department, according to an ABC News Go report.

Sgt. Andrew Meyer concluded on his preliminary report on December 4 that the three officers involved in the shooting should have held their fire after Taylor's boyfriend shot one of them. He further wrote that the police officers took thirty-two shots.

Meyer was a member of the police department's Professional Standards Unit.

According to Meyer, the deadly force should only have been used against Kenneth Walker, Taylor's boyfriend.

This was supported by Meyer's lieutenant, Jeff Artman.

However, former interim LMPD Chief Yvette Gentry disagreed with the Professional Standard Unit's report, saying that the officers reasonably believed that the use of fatal force was allowed in that particular incident.

Gentry had given up her post as interim chief in January, according to a New York Daily News report.

Former officers Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison, and Louisville police Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly allegedly violated the department's policy on the use of force.

Meyer also claimed that they ignored the policy and had posed a huge risk of hitting someone who is not threatening, according to a KMJNOW report.

Breonna Taylor's Killing

Taylor was shot and killed by Louisville police officers during a March 2020 raid in her apartment. She was 26 years old and was a medical worker. Her death had triggered a series of protests over policing practices and racial injustices across the country.

Hankinson was indicted by a grand jury in September, wherein he pleaded not guilty.

Meanwhile, no charges were filed over two officers who fired shots. No one was also charged for causing Taylor's death, according to The New York Times report. Cosgrove and Detective Joshua Jaynes were terminated in late December. They were officially out of the force on January 5.

Last month, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that Justice Department will probe whether the Louisville, Kentucky police have a pattern of civil rights violations and other practiced abuses.

Among the parts that will investigate are the use of unreasonable force and unconstitutional stops, searches, and seizures. The department will also investigate the police department whether participated in racial discrimination or if they failed to give public services that follow the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a Buzzfeed News report.

Garland said that the investigation will be done to ensure that policing practices are lawful and in line with the constitutional rights of every individual.

The attorney general noted that the Department of Justice had already briefed the mayor and police chief before announcing the developments publicly. He said that both the mayor and police chief have already backed the movement and promised cooperation.

The civil probe into policing in the Louisville police is separate from a federal criminal investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Taylor's family's lawyer, Sam Aguiar, said that the family was pleased to hear about the investigation.

WATCH: Justice Department opens probe of Louisville police after Breonna Taylor death - from Los Angeles Times