Based on records obtained by the Louisville Courier Journal outlining a minute by minute timeline of the events that led to the death of Breonna Taylor, we now know which statements rang true in the case and which were proven false. The information provided here on the timeline that the Louisville Courier Journal put out is based on documents and records provided by attorneys for Breonna's family, court records and leaked documents. These documents have not officially been released by the Louisville Metro Police. The details in this timeline give a minute by minute breakout of what happened between police and Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker on March 12th/13th. The timeline is as follows:
March 12th, 2020:
Midday: Detective Joshua Jaynes requests 5 no knock search warrants from Circuit Judge Mary Shaw for an ongoing narcotics investigation.
12:25pm: Judge Shaw begins signing off on the affidavits for the first two warrants located at Elliott Ave.
12:37pm: Judge Shaw signs off on the affidavit/search warrant for Breonna Taylor's apartment
-the affidavit for the warrant included this information that aided in the decision:
- Glover's car had made "frequent" trips to Taylor's Springfield Drive apartment.
- Glover walked directly into Taylor's apartment on Jan. 16.
- A U.S. postal inspector verified Glover received packages at Taylor's apartment.
- Taylor's car had been seen in front of Elliott Avenue on "different occasions."
9:00pm: Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker got home from dinner after eating out at the Texas Roadhouse. They climbed into bed and put on a movie.
10:00pm: Police are briefed on the entry plan for Breonna's apartment.
Just Before Midnight: Officer Mattingly drove by Taylor's apartment & officer Campbell had "the eye on the house". Taylor fell asleep watching the movie and Walker was starting to doze off.
March 13th:
12:40am: Officers were outside Taylor's apartment and began to knock on the door. After a few knocks, Officer Mattingly says the officers began to announce themselves as police.
- The knocking startled both Taylor and Walker out of bed. Both started yelling who is there and they said they did not hear a response.
- After 1 minute of hearing no response from inside, police use a battering ram to knock in the front door.
- Walker and Taylor put on clothes as Walker grabs his gun.
- They walked down the hall and did not make it down the end of the hall when the door came off the hinges
12:42pm: Neighbors call 911 with reports of gunshots
- Walker fires a warning shot aimed at the ground.
- Officers Mattingly, Cosgrove, and Hankinson return fire:
12:43pm: Officers call dispatch to report that an officer had been shot. (*the warning shot ended up unknowingly hitting an officer)
- Breonna Taylor was struck in the return fire by police.
12:47pm: Walker calls 911 and says "somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend"
12:48pm: Taylor's official time of death.
- 10 miles away on Elliot Ave, police have Glover and three of his associates in custody (Taylor's ex-boyfriend) - main target of the narcotics investigation
1:00am: Police arrest Walker.
1:10am: Police tell dispatch there is a woman inside the apartment.
1:46am: EMS leave Taylor's apartment.
3:35am: Police return with a second warrant for Taylor's apartment.
- Police find shell casings and bullets as well as mail for Glover.
3:53am: Sgt. Amanda Seelye and Sgt. Chad Tinnell of the Public Integrity Unit interview Walker, who insists he didn't know it was police on the other side of the door.
- Walker says he only had a gun out because he did not know who it was...if he knew it would not have happened.
3:30pm: A news briefing of the incident occurs.
- Walker is charged with attempted murder of a police officer.
- Police Chief Steve Conrad says there is no body camera footage.
- Mattingly, Hankison and Cosgrove are placed on administrative reassignment.
More details and the original timeline can be found HERE from the Louisville Courier Journal.
Some things we've learned from this timeline that disprove original claims heard in the media:
- Despite the request for no knock warrants, in the case of Taylor's apartment search warrant, police did indeed announce their presence. *furthermore* not listed in the timeline, there are reports of confirmation from neighbors that claim they did hear police announce themselves upon entering.
- Breonna was not asleep in her bed when she died. She was in the hallway and awake. She was caught in the crossfire of return shots from police.
- Police did not shoot first, Walker admits to firing a warning shot, which prompted police to return fire.
- Glover claims while in custody that Taylor and him did not have contact since last summer but that's not true as some of his mail was being sent to her apartment and there are records of the two having a phone conversation back in January prior to this incident.
We discuss and hear your thoughts:
-Producer Lightning