Published 12:54 IST, September 24th 2020
Biden urges protests be peaceful as jury clears police of charges in Breonna Taylor death
Joe Biden urged protester to not engage in violence after prosecutors cleared police officers of criminal charges in the death of Breonna Taylor.
US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden urged protester to not engage in violence after prosecutors cleared police officers of criminal charges in the death of Breonna Taylor. On September 23, the grand jury indicted one Louisville officer in connection to the March 13 killing, but shooting into a home next to Taylor’s that had people in it. No charges were brought against the two officers who had fired a weapon on Taylor.
While the prosecutors said that the officers were justified in using force to protect themselves after they were shot at, hundreds of protesters gathered near Jefferson Square Park and marched through the streets chanting ‘out of the home, into the streets’. While speaking to media reporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, Biden urged demonstrators to be ‘peaceful’. He also added that he would review the grand jury decision before commenting further.
The Democratic leader said, “My heart goes out to her mother... they (protests) should be peaceful. Do not sully her memory or her mother’s by engaging in any violence. It would be totally inappropriate for that to happen. She wouldn’t want it nor would her mother ... I don’t know the details so I’m reluctant to comment”.
On Wednesday night, the police informed that two officers have been shot and wounded amid protests in Louisville. According to AP, Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder spoke about the shootings and said the officers had gone to investigate reports of shots fired when they were hit by gunfire. Schroeder didn’t, however, identify officers of the suspect, or say whether the person in custody was taking part in the protests.
Breonna Taylor’s death
Over the lack of charges in Taylor’s case, demonstrators also packed New York City plaza. Taylor was an emergency medical worker who was shot multiple times by white officers who entered her home on a ‘no-knock’ warrant during a narcotics investigation.
The warrant used to search her home was reportedly connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside. It is reported that her boyfriend Kenneth Walker who was in the apartment was in possession of licensed arms and he fired at the policemen thinking they were intruders. And police in return fired several rounds which led to Breonna's death.
Updated 12:53 IST, September 24th 2020