LMPD firing Det. Brett Hankison for misconduct during Breonna Taylor shooting
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced Friday that Chief Rob Schroeder has initiated termination proceedings for Det. Brett Hankison.
Hankison is one of three officers involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor in March.
Fischer says he and Schroeder are unable to answers questions about the timing or reasoning for his termination due to a state law, but the memorandum on his firing lays it out.
According to his termination letter, he is being fired over his actions the night of Taylor's death.
The letter says he violated two standard operating procedures: obedience to rules and regulations and use of deadly force.
"Based upon my review, these are extreme violations to our policies. I find your conduct a shock to the conscience," Schroeder writes in the memorandum.
He said Hankison showed indifference to the value of human life when he fired 10 rounds into Taylor's apartment, which went into a patio door and window that were covered, preventing him from verifying there was an immediate threat.
Schroeder also writes that Hankison was reckless as rounds went into a neighbors apartment.
His letter concludes by saying, "You have never been trained by the Louisville Metro Police Department to use deadly force in this fashion. Your actions have brought discredit upon yourself in the department. Your conduct has severely damaged the image of our Department we have established within our community. The result of your actions seriously impedes the Department’s goal of providing the citizens of our city with the most professional law enforcement agency possible. I cannot tolerate this type of conduct by any member of the Louisville Metro Police Department. Your conduct demands your termination.”
So far, no action has been taken against the other two officers involved: Sgt. Jon Mattingly and Det. Myles Cogrove.
WLKY will update this story soon with more details.
