Brona Taylor case: Louisville police officer says shooting had nothing to do with race

“This has nothing to do with George Floyd. This is nothing like that,” said Matting, speaking for the first time in an interview with ATC News and the Louisville Courier Journal.

“It’s not Ahmed Arbury. It’s nothing like this. These are two completely different types of events,” Mattingley said.

Floyd’s death during an arrest in May sparked protests across the country and abroad against racism and the use of police force, when an officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes. Protesters chanted his final words, “I can’t breathe,” and condemned the recent killings of black people, including Arbury, who was shot in February in Brunswick, Georgia, while jogging.

Taylor, 26, was shot dead by police on March 13. Mattley and two other officers, who were running a “no-knock” and warrant warrant late at night, broke down the door of his apartment in a drug investigation. Mattingly shot Taylor’s boyfriend, and then police opened fire, killing Taylor. His death sparked protests in Louisville for more than 100 days.

Mattling said protests around the Taylor case and public outrage could have been avoided if Louisville’s mayor and police officers had corrected the misinformation as soon as possible.

“It’s been exciting,” Mattingley said.

“It’s frustrating when you have the truth in your hands and everything else revolves around you.”

None of the three officers at Taylor’s residence that night were charged with Taylor’s death. Last month, a grand jury indicted three of them on three counts of endangering risk for shots entering an adjoining apartment with three insiders. The officer has pleaded not guilty.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has faced criticism for not seeking charges against Taylor. He said he asked a jury of funds to charge him with charges that could be proved in court.

Some claim that there was racial motive behind the three officers firing their weapons during the apparent drug raid on Taylor’s apartment was cleverly dismissed.

“It’s not about a race like people want to try to be. It’s not like that. This is the point where we were doing our job. We gave a lot of time when we went inside. I was shot. We turned on the fire again.” Mattingley said in an interview.

“This is not where we’re going, we’re going to hunt someone. This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction. It’s nothing like that.” He added.

The full interview with Mattingley will air on ABC Good Morning America on Wednesday morning.