Skip to main content

'We weren't rushing in there to check': How cops purposely took their time before checking to see if Breonna Taylor was 'done' after shoot-out

Newly released bodycam footage shows the moment Louisville cops told SWAT team officers they believed Breonna Taylor was dead but said they weren't 'rushing in to check', moments before they cleared her apartment as she lay motionless on the floor.  

The videos were included in a trove of investigative documents released by the police department on Wednesday  following a controversial grand jury ruling that saw no officers directly charged with Taylor's death. 

The footage shows the moment officers find Taylor pulseless in the hallway after she was killed in a hail of bullets on March 13, when her boyfriend Kenneth Walker and cops exchanged fire in a drug raid gone wrong. 

As the SWAT team prepares to enter the apartment, an officer is heard briefing the squad on the incident and says Taylor was allegedly the one shooting and was 'down' inside.   

At the time, Walker, who had actually fired at police first, was already in police custody meaning Taylor's bullet-riddled body was inside the apartment alone.    

'He said she's down in there. He said she's dead, she's down - but we weren't rushing in there to check,' the cop tells Sergeant Brandon Hogan. 

Scroll down for video 

The footage shows the moment officers find Taylor pulseless in the hallway after she was killed in a hail of bullets on March 13, when her boyfriend Kenneth Walker and cops exchanged fire in a drug raid gone wrong

The footage shows the moment officers find Taylor pulseless in the hallway after she was killed in a hail of bullets on March 13, when her boyfriend Kenneth Walker and cops exchanged fire in a drug raid gone wrong

One of the officers is heard asking, 'Ma'am, can you hear us?' to her lifeless body. The team then hovers over Taylor as one of the cops checks her pulse

One of the officers is heard asking, 'Ma'am, can you hear us?' to her lifeless body. The team then hovers over Taylor as one of the cops checks her pulse

Members of the team were seen inspecting the rooms of the apartment as a group of cops examined Taylor's lifeless body

Members of the team were seen inspecting the rooms of the apartment as a group of cops examined Taylor's lifeless body 

Breonna's boyfriend Kenneth Walker has maintained that the officers did not identify themselves as police when they arrived at the apartment

Breonna's boyfriend Kenneth Walker has maintained that the officers did not identify themselves as police when they arrived at the apartment

more videos

Heartwarming moment adult cats help stranded kitten onto rooftop

Naughty husky Oreo pulls guilty face after tearing up owner's sofa

Fly steals the show as it lands on Pence's head

An impressive groom catches fish moments before his wedding

Ohio man sings 'You Are My Sunshine' to donkey in his arms

Zoella's assistant Holly Macey helps load pumpkins into van

Huge fire engulfs an apartment block in Ulsan

Girl spotted in the background during interview with Chris Watts

Dogs gain TikTok fame for recreating pictures taken on iPhone

Dog falls fast asleep while standing up after holiday

Owner creates dog size holes in fence for pets to see through

Royal Navy jets pretend to 'attack' HMS Queen Elizabeth

'We just literally hit the door and there was shooting. We announced, we waited,' he adds. 

The team of officers then make their way inside and survey all the areas of the apartment to ensure it is secure.  

The cops are seen inspecting the rooms of the home for several minutes while Taylor's body lies on the floor in the hallway, untouched. 

As the officers examine her bedroom, one of the cops tells the team: 'We still gotta check the bed.' 

'Check her. We've gotta check her, make sure she's good,' Sergeant Hogan responds, referring to Taylor. 

He is then heard asking, 'Ma'am, can you hear us?' to her lifeless body. The team then hovers over Taylor as one of the cops checks her pulse.     

The officers eventually determine she's 'done' and prepare to head out.   

'Let's go ahead and move out. Alright, she's done. We'll keep one person here on her. She's done,' he says. 

As the SWAT team prepares to enter the apartment, an officer is heard briefing the squad on the incident and says Taylor was allegedly the one shooting and was 'down' inside

As the SWAT team prepares to enter the apartment, an officer is heard briefing the squad on the incident and says Taylor was allegedly the one shooting and was 'down' inside

At the time, Walker, who had actually fired at police first, was already in police custody meaning Taylor's bullet-riddled body was inside the apartment (pictured) alone

At the time, Walker, who had actually fired at police first, was already in police custody meaning Taylor's bullet-riddled body was inside the apartment alone

more videos

Heartwarming moment adult cats help stranded kitten onto rooftop

Naughty husky Oreo pulls guilty face after tearing up owner's sofa

Fly steals the show as it lands on Pence's head

An impressive groom catches fish moments before his wedding

Ohio man sings 'You Are My Sunshine' to donkey in his arms

Zoella's assistant Holly Macey helps load pumpkins into van

Huge fire engulfs an apartment block in Ulsan

Girl spotted in the background during interview with Chris Watts

Dogs gain TikTok fame for recreating pictures taken on iPhone

Dog falls fast asleep while standing up after holiday

Owner creates dog size holes in fence for pets to see through

Royal Navy jets pretend to 'attack' HMS Queen Elizabeth

In an interview with the police department's Public Integrity Unit months after the shooting, a member of the SWAT team told investigators they refrained from touching Taylor's body and let the medical unit take care of her.  

'We just kind of pulled security on her meaning we're just watching her and we know that we have EMS right outside the scene. So rather than us mess with her, we're not medical professionals in anyway, we called for our temps to come up and then I believe he kind of lifted her up and he checked her pulse and looked to see where her injuries were,' Sergeant Joel Casse said. 

'And I do remember him saying she had multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. No sign of a pulse and he said: "Yeah, you know, she's - she's gone".' 

Breonna Taylor's boyfriend told police they were 'scared to the death' when they heard banging on the door because they thought it was her drug-dealing ex 

The new documents also reveal that police insisted that they knocked and announced themselves, but that Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker said that they only heard the knocking, and did not hear police identify themselves. 

Walker said the couple was 'scared to death' because they feared it was her drug-dealing ex-boyfriend. He opened fire down a hallway as the door was breached, striking one officer in the leg, and cops returned fire, killing Taylor.

The raid unfolded as part of a series of simultaneous raids on multiple locations associated with Taylor's ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover, a suspected drug trafficker. 

Breonna Taylor and boyfriend Kenneth Walker were sleeping in their Louisville apartment in the early hours of March 13, when police officers executed a 'no-knock warrant' and opened fire

Breonna Taylor and boyfriend Kenneth Walker were sleeping in their Louisville apartment in the early hours of March 13, when police officers executed a 'no-knock warrant' and opened fire 

Gouge marks from bullets are seen in Taylor's home after cops fired 32 rounds

Gouge marks from bullets are seen in Taylor's home after cops fired 32 rounds

This Glock 9mm was recovered under the bed inside the apartment, where Walker said that he kicked it after opening fire on the search warrant team

This Glock 9mm was recovered under the bed inside the apartment, where Walker said that he kicked it after opening fire on the search warrant team

Cops believed Taylor's home was the 'money house' where Glover 'housed the dope,' the new documents state, but no significant amounts of drugs or money were found there - and investigators later raised questions about the evidence used to tie Glover to Taylor's home.

Taylor's name came up in the drug case at least in part because she had posted bail a few times from 2017 to January 2020 for Glover and another defendant, Darreal Forest, in amounts that went as high as $5,000, according to the police files released on Wednesday. 

Taylor's apartment was considered a 'soft target' by police conducting the raid, and they believed she was home alone. Walker, a licensed gun owner, was not expected to be there and his relationship with Taylor appears to have been unknown to police. 

In the early hours of March 13, Louisville police officers entered apartment 4 of 3003 Springfield Drive, firing 32 times. Breonna Taylor was shot six times, but only one was determined to be fatal

In the early hours of March 13, Louisville police officers entered apartment 4 of 3003 Springfield Drive, firing 32 times. Breonna Taylor was shot six times, but only one was determined to be fatal 

The documents reveal that the cops executing the raid decided to knock and announce themselves, despite having a 'no-knock' warrant, because they considered the location to be low-risk.

Walker, believing it was an intruder, shot at the officers, striking Sergeant Jon Mattingly in the leg, prompting them to return fire and kill Taylor in a hail of bullets.

He was charged with attempted murder, however those charges were later dropped.  

Walker has maintained that the officers did not identify themselves as police when they arrived at the apartment. 

During his interview with investigators from the Public Integrity Unit, he said the couple were awoken after they heard a 'loud thud.'

He did not mention Glover by name but said he thought it may have been a 'guy' Taylor was on and off with.  

'It scared her to death. Me too, like who is that. I was honestly thinkin' - because we been on and off together for like, seven years, or whatever... there was a guy that she was messin' with or whatever throughout that time,' Walker told investigators.

'And he popped over there once before while I was there like a couple months ago. So that's what I thought was goin' on.'

The report notes that Walker's reference to the 'guy' showing up at the apartment months prior corresponds to the same time frame when Glover was spotted at Taylor's home.

He also told investigators he was a licensed carrier but had never fired his gun 'outside of a range'. 

After hearing the 'loud boom at the door', Walker said he asked who was there and did not get a response. 

He said Breonna then tried asking by screaming, 'who is it?' "Loud at the top of her lungs"', but they still did not get an answer. 

Walker then described walking over to the breached door and firing one gun shot.  

Police photos and video reveal Taylor's bullet-riddled apartment in the aftermath of the fatal raid 

Included in Wednesday's document dump were photos and videos that show the aftermath of the raid that left Taylor dead.

Investigators say that police fired 32 rounds during the raid, based on a review of the bullets remaining in the magazines of the four officers who fired.

Photos also show a shattered sliding door, displaying the evidence of the alleged wild shots fired through that door by Detective Brett Hankinson

Photos also show a shattered sliding door, displaying the evidence of the alleged wild shots fired through that door by Detective Brett Hankinson

An evidence marking shows where a bullet penetrated a pantry inside the apartment

An evidence marking shows where a bullet penetrated a pantry inside the apartment

A discarded battering ram is seen outside of Taylor's apartment following the March 13 raid

A discarded battering ram is seen outside of Taylor's apartment following the March 13 raid

Walker claimed he only fired once as a 'warning shot' towards the ground, but this could not be confirmed by a review of his Glock 9mm's magazine, which only had a few rounds remaining. 

He told investigators that he had previously used the gun at a firing range and left the magazine partially empty.

Photos from the scene show the bullet-riddled aftermath inside the apartment, with bullet holes in the walls and shell casings strewn inside and outside the front door.

Photos also show a shattered sliding door, displaying the evidence of the alleged wild shots fired through that door by Detective Brett Hankinson, who was fired from the LMPD in June and charged with wanton endangerment last month.

A termination memo released on Wednesday accused Hankinson of 'blindly firing' 10 rounds through the sliding glass door without being able to see who was on the other side.

Three of those rounds went though the rear wall of Taylor's apartment into the neighboring unit, which was occupied, resulting in the wanton endangerment charges against Hankinson. 

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o