By Laura French
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Officials in a Kentucky city are seeking a federal review in the case of an EMT who was shot and killed during a police raid.
EMT Breonna Taylor, 26, who worked as an ER technician for Medical Center Jewish East and as needed at Norton Healthcare according to her obituary, was fatally shot in March after police say they returned fire from her boyfriend, the Associated Press reports.
The shooting is currently being investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit, according to a statement from the office of Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.
According to police, Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker fired first and hit an officer, leading police to fire back, striking Taylor eight times. Walker has been charged in the shooting of the officer.
Walker’s lawyer says police did not announce themselves and that Walker shot in self-defense because he thought there was a break-in; police officials say officers did identify themselves, although they had a “no-knock” warrant and were not required to, according to the Associated Press.
Officials say the drug suspect police were looking for, Jamarcus Glover, was believed by investigators to have used Taylor’s address to receive mail or store drugs or money, which was the reason for the raid at Taylor’s home. Taylor had no criminal history and no drugs were found in the home, according to the AP.
Taylor’s family filed a lawsuit last month saying she “had posed no threat to the officers and did nothing to deserve to die at their hands,” and have hired high-profile civil rights Attorney Ben Crump.
Fischer and Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad have requested that the results of the internal police investigation be reviewed by the FBI and U.S. Attorney when the investigation is completed, according to the mayor’s office.
“My priority is always that the truth comes out,” Fischer said in a statement. “That’s why my administration has requested a thorough review of the investigation currently underway, and why I am committed to a process that restores trust in our police and community relations.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has also called for an outside review of the case, according to the AP.
Taylor had previously worked as an EMT for the city of Louisville before going on to work full-time at the University of Louisville Health’s Medical Center Jewish East as an emergency room technician, according to her obituary.
“Breonna Taylor was full of life and loved social gatherings with her friends and especially her family,” the obituary reads. “She loved life and all it had to offer.”