Breonna Taylor death: Officer charged, but not for shooting woman in her sleep

Heated protests have erupted in the US after the three officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor were not charged with her death.

Two police officers have been shot during protests over Breonna Taylor, after a grand jury handed down a decision over the young woman’s death.

Louisville Police said two officers were shot in Louisville in Kentucky on Wednesday night. Police Chief Robert Schroeder said one officer was in surgery in a stable condition, while the other officer was alert, also in a stable condition, according to a report from KFDM.

Chief Schroeder said the officers were shot after they went to an area of the city to respond to reports of shots being fired.

Andy Beshear, the Governor of Kentucky, pleaded for calm in the city, saying in a video shared to social media he understood people in the city were feeling “powerful emotions”.

“We know that the answer to violence is never violence and we are thinking about those two officers and their families,” Governor Beshear said.

Heated protests erupted in Louisville after one of three police officers was charged for the incident involving the death of Ms Taylor, but not for her killing.

A grand jury in Kentucky on Wednesday charged the single officer for shooting into neighbouring apartments, but didn’t pursue any charges against the three officers for their role in the death of Ms Taylor, 26, who was fatally shot on March 13.

Officers used a no-knock search warrant to enter Ms Taylor’s home during a narcotics investigation.

The warrant used was connected to a person who did not live in the home, and no drugs were discovered on the property. Ms Taylor, an emergency room technician, was shot five times by the officers, Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove.

The grand jury announced on Wednesday, Officer Hankison had been charged with three counts of wanton endangerment over the raid of Ms Taylor’s home. The grand jury and the judge presiding over the case did not elaborate over the charges.

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Protesters march in Louisville, Kentucky after the grand jury’s announcement on Wednesday. Picture: Jeff Dean/AFP

Riot police clash with demonstrators in Louisville. Picture: Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP

Protesters chanted, ‘Say her name! Breonna Taylor!’ Picture: Jeff Dean/AFP

Kentucky Attorney-General Daniel Cameron announced the grand jury's decision to the media. Picture: Jon Cherry/Getty Images/AFP

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The case has become one of the most high profile of the year, with professional athletes and celebrities calling on local authorities to take action against the officers involved.

The State Attorney-General Daniel Cameron addressed the grand jury’s decision in a news conference in Frankfort, as protesters gathered around his home.

Some demonstrators being arrested and charged with felonies for trying to intimidate the Republican Attorney-General, according to a report from AP.

The city of Louisville, which has been placed in a state of emergency and put under a 72-hour curfew, quickly erupted after the grand jury handed down its decision, with hundreds of protesters gathering in the city.

Protesters in the city were met with pepper balls wooden batons by armed riot police, and the Kentucky Governor approved a “limited” deployment of the National Guard as fears unrest could grow overnight. Reports of multiple fires began to emerge after 8pm on Wednesday.

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A demonstrator is detained during protests in Louisville, Kentucky. Picture: Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP

A few fires here in downtown #Louisville this eve after #BreonnaTaylor news. pic.twitter.com/8veZXqLaUo

— Kailani Koenig (@kailanikm) September 24, 2020

National guard staging around downtown #Louisville, where some fires have been set.

(From @BGOnTheScene) pic.twitter.com/St57GJfFT4

— Shevaun Bryan (@finessebryan) September 24, 2020

Protests have also been seen in other US cities following the decision, including in New York City where hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.

Large section of Barclays march has made it across Manhattan Bridge.

No signs of slowing down. pic.twitter.com/ryNuMvZM5s

— Chris Welch (@chriswelch) September 24, 2020

Ms Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired shots at the officers when they entered the home back in March. He hit one of the officers, Mattingly. He told police he fired in self-defence.

Earlier this month the city of Louisville, Kentucky settled a suit with Ms Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer and agreed to pay her $US12 million ($A16.4 million). They also agreed to police reforms.