Breonna Taylor's family was displeased with the charges levied against former Louisville Metro Police Department Officer Brett Hankinson. Yesterday, Hankinson was charged with three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.
Hankinson's charges directly related to his decision to blindly fire multiple shots not only into Taylor's apartment, but also the apartments nearby. However, he is not being charged with striking Taylor and killing her. Moreover, the two other officers present at the time of the shooting, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, are not being charged at this time. The other three officers involved in obtaining the search warrant are also not facing charges at this time.
The announcement of Hankinson's charges upset many across the country. Sen. Bernie Sanders called the charges a "disgrace" and former Rep. Bakari Sellers called Hankinson's $15,000 bond a "joke." Among those who publicly expressed their frustration were members of Taylor's family.
"Today's decision was an additional injustice on our family and this country. Until Americans start getting mad enough and speaking out and forcing legislators to change the laws for all races, nothing is going to change. And it needs to happen now. Not tomorrow, but today," Taylor's cousin, Tawanna Gordon, said.
"How ironic and typical that the only charges brought in this case were for shots fired into the apartment of a white neighbor, while not charges were brought for the shots fired into the Black neighbor's apartment or into Breonna's residence," Taylor's family attorney, Ben Crump, added.
Hankinson is currently facing up to five years in prison. His bail has been set at $15,000. There is no word as to when he will appear in court next.
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