The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 2 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on October 16, 2020.
Maryam Javed ’21
Opinions Editor
On March 13, 2020, 26-year-old Breonna Taylor was murdered in her own home by three Louisville police department officers. Breonna Taylor was an exceptional EMT, who worked at two hospitals and helped respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She was a selfless woman and a joy to those around her.
The night of her murder, Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep in their bed like any other night. According to The New York Times, “Shortly after midnight…Louisville police officers executing a search warrant used a battering ram” to enter Taylor’s apartment. Police were investigating two men who they believed were selling drugs out of a house that was far from Taylor’s home, but according to the Times, “a judge had also signed a warrant allowing the police to search Taylor’s residence because the police said they believed that one of the men had used her apartment to receive packages.” When the officers executed the warrant, Taylor and Walker got up “when they heard a loud banging at the door,” and Walker later stated that “…he feared it was Ms. Taylor’s ex-boyfriend trying to break in,” according to the Times article. The police then broke the door to the apartment off of its hinges, and “…Walker fired his gun once, striking Sergeant Mattingly in [the]thigh. The police responded by firing several shots, striking…Taylor five times. One of the three officers on the scene, Detective Brett Hankison, who has since been fired, shot 10 rounds blindly into the apartment.”
This was no mistake. Officers blatantly ignored protocol and even after realizing that there were no drugs in the home, they left Breonna Taylor bleeding out, lying on the floor for 20 minutes without any medical attention. Breonna’s life being taken away from her in such a barbaric way shows that many police officers have little to no regard for Black lives.
Officers even tried charging Walker for assault and attempted murder, despite the fact he was defending himself. Charges were later dropped, but the fact that police tried to charge him in the first place is ironic considering the fact this country prides itself on fully exercising one’s Second Amendment right to bear arms. But it seems as though this “privilege” is only guaranteed to white males.
Breonna’s death has sparked outrage throughout the country and across the world. Her life is more than just a movement. Her death has caused people from all walks of life to protest and push for justice and reform. Four months after her death, the Louisville council passed “Breonna’s Law,” which bans no-knock warrants. Though this is a major step, there is still a lot of progress to be made.
It has been several months now, but Breonna has still not received justice. None of the officers who shot Breonna Taylor were indicted for their crime. Violence and injustice toward Black people has been occurring for centuries. It seems as though just now that people are realizing the extreme police brutality against Black people. Famous actor Will Smith once said, “Racism is not getting worse. It’s getting filmed.” With the prevalence of technology, people are becoming more aware and educated about racism and police brutality against Black people. Racism has never gone away and it will continue to plague society. The police force in the United States needs massive reform. Countless individuals’ lives have been lost due to police negligence and their prejudices towards Black people. The reality is that Black people are still not treated equally in this country. We need to demand justice for Breonna Taylor and push for reform and education if we truly want to see change.
