One of the police officers involved in the botched drug raid that left Breonna Taylor dead says she would be alive if the search warrant was carried out differently.
"We would have either served the no-knock warrant or we would have done the normal thing we do, which is five to 10 seconds," Jonathan Mattingly told "Good Morning America" host Michael Strahan in an interview that aired Wednesday.
"To not give people time to formulate a plan, not give people time to get their senses so they have an idea of what they’re doing. Because if that had happened, I’m telling you, Michael, if that had happened, Breonna Taylor would be alive."
Taylor was shot and killed March 13 when police executed a search warrant after midnight at her apartment as part of a narcotics trafficking investigation.
Although the police had a "no-knock warrant" — meaning they had no obligation to identify themselves — they testified they did announce themselves before receiving no response and breaking down the door. Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, responded by firing a shot and hitting one of the officers in the leg. Police returned fire, killing Taylor in a hallway. Walker was not struck by any bullets.
Her death prompted nationwide protests.
Mattingly, who was injured in the raid, also slammed city and police leadership for not correcting "false narratives" surrounding her death.
"Because this is not relatable to George Floyd. This is nothing like that," Mattingly said. "It's not Ahmaud Arbery. It's nothing like it. These are two totally different types of incidences. It's not a race thing like people wanna try to make it to be. It's not. This is not us going, hunting somebody down. This is not kneeling on a neck. It's nothing like that."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.