The city has been placed under a state of emergency by the mayor.
Three more cops are under investigation in the Breonna Taylor case, bringing the total to six, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Six active cops are now under investigation by the department's Professional Standards Unit for their roles in the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor on March 13 in Louisville, Kentucky.
The investigation into the police officers is separate from the probe being conducted by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. The Louisville Metro Police Department have not said which violations they are investigating, the Courier-Journal reported, but noted if violations are found it could lead to disciplinary action against the police, ranging from a written reprimand to termination.
Officers Anthony James, Michael Campbell and Michael Nobles are being investigated, along with Detective Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who officials said fired their weapons into Taylor’s apartment, as well as Detective Joshua Jaynes, who swore out the affidavit to get the search warrant for Taylor's apartment and four other homes on March 13, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
All of the officers were in Taylor’s apartment, aside from James, cops said.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s office declined to comment but directed Inside Edition Digital to the LMPD. A spokesperson for the LMPD verified the additional officers are being investigated, but declined to comment further.
The police union representing the LMPD did not respond to Inside Edition Digital's request for comment.
"No public statements shall be made concerning the alleged violation by any person or persons of the consolidated local government or the police officer so charged, until final disposition of the charges,” according to state law governing investigations into police officers' violation of departmental rules.
The news comes as the city of Louisville braces for Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s decision about whether to bring charges against the officers in the Taylor case. The city has been placed under a state of emergency by the mayor. Attorney General Cameron has not announced when his decision will be made or what it is.
The state of emergency allows the mayor to exercise emergency powers such as hiring or contracting services and implementing curfews.
A second executive order restricts access to five downtown parking garages and bans on-street parking. The city has also banned parking “to provide an extra layer of security for protests in and around Jefferson Square Park.” Jefferson Square Park has been where many of the protests and demonstrations to advocate for Taylor have taken place. It is also in this park activists are trying to have renamed in Taylor's honor.
In addition to the state of emergency, the LMPD has said vacation and off-days are canceled in anticipation of the attorney general’s decision. The city, including the mayor and LMPD, are bracing for the announcement and have repeated that they do not know when it is coming down.
Councilwoman Barbara Sexton-Smith, who represents the 4th district of Louisville, which includes the park, released a statement saying she is backing the mayor.
“I join Mayor Fischer and Chief Schroeder in stressing that we all should base our behaviors on facts and not participate in the spread of misinformation. You can help by following the Mayor’s Office, LMPD and other official Louisville Metro Government social media accounts for updates. Our goal is ensuring space and opportunity for potential protesters to gather and express their First Amendment rights after the announcement. At the same time, we are preparing for any eventuality to keep everyone safe,” she wrote.
Last week, Taylor’s estate was awarded $12 million by the city in damages. The mayor also announced sweeping police reform.
In documentation previously obtained by the Louisville Courier-Journal, police were authorized to carry out a “no-knock” warrant on Taylor’s Louisville home on March 13 as part of a narcotics investigation of a person who lived in a home 10 miles away. Neither Taylor nor her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were the investigation's target. Police had suspected, though, that Taylor’s home was used to receive drugs.
Authorities said they identified themselves, despite the “no-knock” warrant. Police said the officers were “immediately” met by gunfire when they entered Taylor and Walker's home, at which point they returned fire.
Walker called 911 during the ordeal and he was informed he'd shot an officer. He was initially charged with attempted murder, but his charges were later dropped after he said he shot in self-defense thinking he and Taylor were victims of a home invasion.
In the wake of Taylor's death, the city has banned "no-knock" warrants.
In June, Officer Brett Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department; he is currently contesting his termination with legal council. Officer Myles Cosgrove and John Mattingly have been reassigned. None of the officers have been arrested or charged in Taylor’s death.
RELATED STORIES
