NewsNation

TIMELINE: The Breonna Taylor case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (NewsNation Now) — Here is a timeline of events that began with the death of Breonna Taylor until Wednesday, when a grand jury indicted one of three white police officers for wanton endangerment in the case.

March 13

Shortly after midnight

It started with three officers, serving a warrant as part of a drug investigation.


Breonna and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker were in bed, when three officers arrive at the front.

Exactly what happens next inside Taylor’s apartment depends on whom you ask. 

Louisville Police said they went in a with a ‘no knock’ warrant and announced their presence. 

Taylor’s attorney Benjamin Crump said they never heard anyone identify themselves, even after asking “who’s there?” 

According to police documents, officers forced their way in. Walker called 911. It’s unclear if the call came before or after shots were fired.  

12:43 a.m.

Three minutes after police arrived, Walker, who is a licensed gun owner, opened fire.

Police said Walker shot one of the officers in the leg, puncturing his femoral artery.  

Shots hit the living room window, the ceiling, the kitchen, a clock on the wall, even neighbors’ homes.  

Kentucky’s attorney general said six bullets struck Breonna Taylor. 

12:48 a.m.

Taylor is pronounced dead five minutes after police entered the house.

1 a.m.

Police arrested Walker by 1 a.m. and eventually charge him with attempted murder.

March 14

Louisville’s mayor called for the FBI to investigate.

May 20

Police handed the public file over to the attorney general’s office.

May 21

The FBI opened its investigation into the case. The agency is still investigating the case and will continue beyond the grand jury’s decision on Wednesday.

The police chief announced plans to retire.

May 22

Prosecutors announced they were dropping the charges against Walker.

May 28

Investigators released audio of 911 calls from the night of the shooting.

June 12

The mayor signed legislation that outlaws “no-knock” warrants. However, on Wednesday, Kentucky’s attorney general said the investigation determined that officers did announce themselves before they entered Taylor’s home.

Sept. 23

A Kentucky grand jury indicted one of three white police officers for wanton endangerment, the state’s attorney general said.

The wanton endangerment charges were not related to Taylor’s death, but rather bullets fired by Hankison traveled into a neighboring apartment.

The officer indicted was Detective Brett Hankison, who faces up to five years in prison if convicted, Attorney General Daniel Cameron said at a news conference.

The two other officers, Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, were not charged because the investigation showed that under Kentucky law they “were justified in the return of deadly fire after having been fired upon by Kenneth Walker,” Taylor’s boyfriend, Cameron said.

Crump tweeted that the lack of charges directly related to Breonna Taylor’s death is “outrageous and offensive.”