Within the matter of months, Breonna Taylor became a symbol for race relations within the U.S.
On March 13 after midnight, police entered the home of Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend
Kenneth Walker, both whom were sleeping at the time. The officers had a no-knock warrant and startled Walker awake. He then proceeded to shoot the officers who came into their apartment. Claiming self-defense, the officers open fire and killed Taylor as she was sleeping. This has caused a civil uproar in Louisville, KY. On Sept. 23, a state grand jury announced the three officers involved in the shooting would not be charged with the death of Taylor. Many students have something to say about the killing of Breonna Taylor. Emma Cullen, 20, of Savannah College of Art and Design said, “My initial thought when the news notification popped up on my phone was ‘finally… they did something.’ Then when I looked a little closer, I realized that only one officer was charged and it wasn’t for murder.”
According to CNN, Brett Hankison was charged, not with Taylor’s death, but with “wanton
endangerment” for firing into a neighbor’s apartment. The two other officers who were involved have not been charged.
Many are saying the courts cared more about the neighbor’s walls then about Taylor’s life.
Julia Cullen, 18, of UNC Charlotte said, “They think justice is giving Breonna’s family money,
so they don’t ‘complain’ anymore. What they did was murder and even if they don’t charge them
on that, they entered a house unwarranted, armed and not in uniform…. what could justify that?”
Bucks student Leah Miller said, “It was a gross misuse of power and an attack on human rights. I
think that with it being such a high-profile case, the officials involved just wanted it to go away. I
think they should have been harsher with the cops involved instead of letting them go free. I also
think that something is wrong with our judicial laws, as it shouldn’t have been that easy to get
off.” Bucks student Jacob Mairone said, “I think the whole police raid system has always been a
dangerous one. I think it’s disgusting that we just let cops go loose on the ‘war trail’ just to go
home to their families and not have to answer for what they did.” Many agree that they are tired of this gross injustice, which has led to protests all over the country that have become violent.
“Personally, I don’t think the cops really deserved to die, I don’t think anyone does,” said Jocelyn Beltran. 20, of Doylestown. “I’m assuming because it makes them feel better seeing others in pain. If anything, the cops should of just stayed home once they saw it coming, they can’t act surprised.”