The Tampa Bay Rays on Twitter have called for the arrest of officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, a black emergency technician who was killed by police in March. The team on Friday morning tweeted: “Today is opening day, which means it is a great day to arrest Breonna Taylor’s killers.”
The team followed the tweet by announcing a $ 100,000 donation to local groups. The contribution, to be implemented annually, is intended to “generate power within communities that have historically been overlooked and purposefully disadvantaged due to systemic racism.”
Organizations include the NAACP Hillsborough County Branch, the Tampa Community Development Corporation, Inc., and the Urban League of Pinellas County, which provides economic empowerment and educational opportunities for residents.
Taylor, 26, was shot dead by police on March 25 during a drug raid while asleep at his Louisville home. Police found no narcotics during the search.
None of the three officers involved has been charged. One of the officers, Sgt. Brett Hankison, was fired from the Louisville Police Department. The other two, Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly, were placed on administrative leave.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is investigating the case, but Taylor’s activists and supporters believe the investigation is not moving fast enough.
Professional athletes, especially NBA players like LeBron James, have kept Taylor’s name in the spotlight. The WNBA will allow players wearing Taylor’s name on their shirts, along with other victims killed in alleged acts of police brutality or racial violence.
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