In preparation for the release of a grand jury verdict in the Breona Taylor case, the city of Louisville has declared a preemptive state of emergency.
All time off for the Louisville PD has been cancelled and barricades have been prepositioned around the city. Windows at the federal courthouse in Louisville have been boarded up in preparation for a new wave of violent protests.
“To ensure we have the appropriate level of staffing to provide for public safety services and our policing functions, effective immediately the LMPD will operate under the emergency staffing and reporting guidelines as outlined in the Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Response Plan, and collective bargaining agreements until further notice,” Acting Police Chief Robert Schroeder said in a statement Monday.
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Back in March, Taylor was killed in her sleep when police attempted to execute a no-knock warrant. Her then-boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was suspected of being part of a drug operation. Walker claimed he heard nothing when officers rammed his door and opened fire on them with his licensed firearm. The officers returned fire, striking Taylor eight times. No drugs or money were found in the apartment.
Det. Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who fired their weapons into Taylor’s apartment on March 13; Det. Joshua Jaynes, who sought the search warrant for her apartment; and Det. Tony James, Det. Michael Campbell and Det. Michael Nobles, who took part in the warrant operation are all under investigation for the shooting.