Breonna Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker says cops didn't identify themselves during raid: 'Million percent sure'
Breonna Taylor's boyfriend has said that he is "a million percent sure" that police did not identify themselves the night they conducted a drug raid on her apartment that ended in her being shot to death by the officers. Kenneth Walker spoke out on the issue in a first sit-down interview with 'CBS This Morning', set to air on Wednesday, October 14. Walker, during the interview, doubled down on his previous claims and stated that he and Taylor did not hear Louisville police identify themselves as they broke into their house at midnight on March 13.
Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot at least eight times during the raid by police officials. The tragedy occurred during a botched police drug raid as the officers barged into her house unannounced after midnight. Walker had fired his gun during the incident thinking intruders had entered the house, injuring an officer. Authorities have claimed that the midnight search was part of a drug investigation.
However, a lawsuit filed by the family states no drug was found at the home. The family's lawyers have said that the main suspect, Jamarcus Glover, was already in police custody at the time of the raid. Neither Taylor nor Walker had any criminal records. Louisville police officers previously said that they identified themselves before breaking down Taylor's door.
"It was dead silent in the house," Walker said. "It was 12.00, 1.00 at night, or whatever time. So it was — it's always quiet. We live in a quiet place. So if somebody was on the other side of the door saying anything, we would hear them." He added that he and Taylor asked "several times" who was there when police began knocking, but there was no response. "There was no response. So the next thing I know the door is flying open," Walker said. "I'm a million percent sure that nobody identified themselves. That's why I grabbed the gun. Didn't have a clue. I mean, if it was the police at the door, and they just said, 'we're the police', me or Breonna didn't have a reason at all not to open the door to see what they wanted. That's why I never thought it was the police. Because why would the police be coming here?" he added.
Taylor and Walker thought the house was being broken into and Walker, who has a license to carry, fired his gun in self-defense thinking they were being robbed, the family's suit said. LMPD Sgt Jonathan Mattingly and officers Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove entered the apartment shortly before 1 am, and the shot fired by Walker struck Mattingley's leg. The officers, in retaliation, fired a hail of over 25 bullets, eight of which struck Taylor who died at the scene. Taylor's killing sparked nationwide protests, with demonstrators demanding all the officers involved in the shooting be charged for her murder.
A lawsuit has been filed by Walker against the city of Louisville and its police department. Walker has claimed that he was the victim of misconduct during the night of the raid and was initially charged with attempted murder for firing a single shot that struck an officer after they stormed in the apartment. Prosecutors, in May this year, dropped the charge without prejudice, suggesting that he could potentially be charged for the shooting again in the future, reports state.