A Mistake Can Take A Life Away
By: Megan Guerrero
Tags: Police, Human Rights, Police Brutality, Blm, Breonna Taylor

Source: Layla Halabian

Police Brutality is the leading cause of death for infinite Americans in the United States. 250 women have been fatally executed by police officers since 2015. 89 of those deaths were right inside their own home. Is this the type of people you want to protect and serve the public? Are these the people you trust that they will keep you from harm’s way, even though they may be the ones to cause it? Breonna Taylor was no exception. She was a hard-working woman as an Emergency Room Technician who had dreams of returning to school to get a degree in nursing. Breonna had hopes of buying a house and starting a family with the love of her life. She lit up every room she entered with a welcoming smile on her face. Yet, her life was taken away by those we call heroes.

The Play By Play

The Louisville police had been examining two men who they assumed to be trading drugs away from Ms Taylor’s residence. A judge had approved a warrant authorizing the police to scrutinize Ms Taylor’s apartment because the police stated they concluded that one of the men had used her place to accept possible boxes. Ms Taylor had been rendezvousing that individual on and off for countless years yet had recently split relations with him. Ms Taylor and her companion, Kenneth Walker, had been in bed although got up when they heard a powerful banging at their door. Mr Walker declared he and Ms Taylor both called out, asking who was at the door. Mr Walker told the police he worried it was Ms Taylor’s ex-boyfriend striving to break in. As the police shattered the door off its joints, Mr Walker shot his legal gun once, punching Sergeant Mattingly in the thigh. The police reacted by hurling numerous shots, hitting Ms Taylor five times. One of the three officers on the scene, Detective Brett Hankison, shot 10 extensive rounds frantically into the residence.

Mr Walker informed detectives that Ms Taylor fought to breathe following her being shot. As officers hailed an ambulance to the scene, Ms Taylor was not given any medical care, demonstrating the recklessness of the whole situation. Just till 12:47 a.m, about five minutes after the shooting, emergency employees recognized Ms Taylor was severely wounded, following her boyfriend calling 911. “I don’t know what’s happening,” Mr Walker announced on a documented call to 911. “Someone kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend.” Ms Taylor received no medical attention for more than 20 minutes after she was shot multiple times.

A Game Of Who Said What

The police’s incident report admitted to obtaining various errors. Ms Taylor’s wounds were noted as “none,” when in fact, she happened to have been shot numerous times. It was on record that the officers on the scene had not used force to enter the apartment, though they employed a battering ram to eradicate the door open. The police say that they fired inside Ms Taylor’s home only after they were met with fire from Mr Walker. They stated that Mr Walker wounded one of the officers, who was hit in the leg. Mr Walker was consequently accused of the attempted assassination of an officer, though the charge was later dropped.

The police have answered stating that they knocked numerous times and distinguished themselves as policemen entering the apartment. Though Mr Walker countered declaring that he and Ms Taylor detected pounding at the door and questioned who it was, no communication was made between the two. The police said that they “forced entry into the exterior door and were immediately met with gunfire.” The officers returned fire to protect themselves which the grand jury seems fit to justify their actions for murdering a young innocent woman.

Aftermath

After what occurred to George Floyd during May 2020, the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter rose to gain popularity. The same happened on June 5th, where myriad people utilized the hashtag #SayHerName to establish mindfulness touching her circumstance. The #SayHerName campaign brings consciousness to other Black women whose stories have been kept away from the public, including Tanisha Anderson and Tatiana Jefferson. #SayHerName ventures to present the topic of the death of Black women on the table by saying their names out loud. Kimberlé Crenshaw, the creator of the hashtag, stated, “If Black lives do matter, all Black lives have to matter. That means Black lives across gender have to be lifted”. Whether the person is female, male, transgender, senior, child, or teenager, all black lives must matter.

The situation concerning Miss Taylor has orbited around the globe, leading national rallies, drawing awareness to systematic racism. Her image has become one of the foundations of this perpetual struggle for human rights. It has been portrayed on streets, embellished on protest signs and T-shirts as a Mocking Jay symbol, bestowing our strength as we all come together as one. Even influential figures such as Vice President Kamala Harris has stated her support for Taylor’s case. Sadly, the results were not what anyone was hoping for as the grand jury did not push further, allowing the charges to be a sentence of up to five years.

The Fight Is Far From Over

This year has been a rollercoaster of emotion that has transformed every person on the block. One main thing that has stood out was the BLM campaign that skyrocketed allowing everyone on planet Earth to become immersed in this battle for human rights. Breonna Taylor was just one of the innumerable people whose life was forever affected by police brutality. Thanks to BLM, her story got on the front cover of virtually every significant paper, speaking her name out loud. Though what happens to those stories that weren’t told nor photographed? Who tells their stories? The fight for equality is not close to being done, but if we all can all come together as brother and sister, peace and prosperity can be achieved.

Make A Difference by Donating:

By contributing to the Louisville Community Bail Fund, you are implementing bail compensation for those who have been wrongfully arrested, allowing them to continue to make their voice be heard loud and clear.

Bequeath to the GoFundMe for Breonna Taylor. Even with $500 000, every dollar counts in this fight for righteousness. One dollar from every person can prove to Breonna that we all have her back.

Phenomenal Women has thrust an ambition to beckon for the detention of the officers connected in the gunfire. All proceeds from its Justice for Breonna Taylor T-shirt will operate via the Breonna Taylor Foundation.

Sources:

Betancourt, Bianca. “No Officers Charged with Breonna Taylor’s Death.” Harper’s BAZAAR, Harper’s BAZAAR, 23 Sept. 2020, www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a32769684/how-to-help-breonna-taylor-donate/.

Dylan Lovan And Piper Hudspeth Blackburn. “Police Officer Charged in Breonna Taylor Case — but Not for Her Death.” Global News, Global News, 24 Sept. 2020, globalnews.ca/news/7353202/breonna-taylor-police-charges-grand-jury-report/.

Oppel, Richard A., et al. “What to Know About Breonna Taylor’s Death.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 May 2020, www.nytimes.com/article/breonna-taylor-police.html.