Earlier Wednesday, a grand jury indicted former Louisville police Detective Brett Hankison for firing into a neighboring apartment the night Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police. Taylor, 26, passed away on March 13th after three cops came to her home in search of her ex-boyfriend. Detective Hankison’s charges of wanton endangerment that did not stem from her death but the fact that shots he fired hit a neighbor’s apartment, endangering a family.
Athletes, politicians, public figures, and celebrities have taken to social media to voice their frustrations with the decision, and believe there has been no justice for Taylor through this decision. NBA player Donovan Mitchell, who has been outspoken about the case and attended the University of Louisville, tweeted out “I don’t have many words right now….but all I can say is I’m praying for the city of Louisville right now!!!”
The CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change also offered up prayers, saying in a tweet “Praying for Breonna’s mother and family. Because they knew and loved her before her name became a hashtag.” Oprah Winfrey responded to the tweet, saying “Yes. Her mother’s child. My heart goes out to Tamika Palmer, who has to be reminded, again and again, that her ‘baby won’t be coming through that door.’ #BreonnaTaylor”
Director Ava DuVernay, best known for her work with “When They See Us” and “Selma”, also took to Twitter, saying “God bless Breonna’s family and all who knew and loved her. Her tragic death compounded by the violence of silence and inaction by the city she called home is more than any of them should have to endure.”
Singer JoJo, in a series of tweets, called out the Louisville police department and shared her disgust for the decision. She wrote, “BREONNA TAYLOR. She deserves better. She should be alive. Bare minimum. But since she isn’t – I’m praying for her family. Praying for #LouisvilleKy”
Shortly after news of the verdict, Louisville mayor Greg Fischer declared a citywide 9 pm curfew that would last 72 hours. Protests quickly started popping up all over the country.