Skip to main content

Louisville cop who was shot in the leg after entering Breonna Taylor's apartment WAS hit by her boyfriend, not 'friendly fire', ballistics report shows

The Louisville cop who was shot in the leg during a shootout at Breonna Taylor's apartment was struck by her boyfriend, not 'friendly fire', a newly released ballistics report confirms. 

Sergeant John Mattingly was wounded in the deadly late night raid on March 13 after he and two other officers breached the door of Taylor's home while serving a 'no-knock' search warrant.

Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker had mistaken the cops for intruders and fired a 'warning shot' at the door, striking Mattingly in the thigh and prompting officers to return fire.

The Louisville Metro Police Department this week released the findings of a Kentucky Police ballistics report that confirmed Mattingly was hit by Walker, not in the crossfire. 

Scroll down for video 

Kenneth Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer after the shootout, but prosecutors later dropped the charge.Sergeant John Mattingly

Kenneth Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer after the shootout, but prosecutors later dropped the charge. Sergeant John Mattingly suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh during the March 13 raid

This Glock 9mm was recovered under the bed inside the apartment, where Walker said that he kicked it after opening fire on the search warrant team

This Glock 9mm was recovered under the bed inside the apartment, where Walker said that he kicked it after opening fire on the search warrant team

Kentucky Police ballistics report that confirmed Mattingly was hit by Walker, not in the crossfire

Kentucky Police ballistics report that confirmed Mattingly was hit by Walker, not in the crossfire

The controversy surrounding the case had sparked theories that Mattingly could have inadvertently hit by his own colleagues after cops fired a total of 32 rounds, instead of Walker, who only fired once.

The report, however reveals Mattingly was hit by a 9mm round and only one 9mm casing was found at the scene that was fired from Walker's Glock handgun. 

The officers meanwhile, had been carrying .40-caliber guns.

Walker also admitted to firing the first round in police interviews.  

The findings are consistent with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's statements last month that there was 'no evidence to support that Sergeant Mattingly was hit by friendly fire from other officers.' 

'Mr Walker admitted that he fired one shot and was the first one to shoot. In addition to all the testimony, the ballistics report shows the round that struck sergeant Mattingly was fired from a .9-millimeter handgun. The LMPD officers fired .40-caliber handguns,' Cameron said following the grand jury ruling. 

Report shows an analysis of the trajectory of the bullets during the March 13 raid

Report shows an analysis of the trajectory of the bullets during the March 13 raid 

The above diagram was also included in the report

 The above diagram was also included in the report

Walker has maintained that the officers did not identify themselves as police when they arrived at the apartment

Walker has maintained that the officers did not identify themselves as police when they arrived at the apartment

Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer after the shootout but prosecutors later dropped the charge. 

The state's investigation found cops fired a total of 32 rounds during the raid, six of which hit Taylor.   

Investigators determined Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove had fired the shots that struck Taylor, but believe Cosgrove was responsible for firing the fatal bullet. 

Cameron said Cosgrove and Mattingly were not charged after investigators determined their actions were justified because Walker opened fire first.

A third officer, Detective Brett Hankison, was charged for with 'wanton endangerment' after investigators found he recklessly fired shots into the neighboring apartments.  

Photos from the scene show the bullet-riddled aftermath inside the apartment, with bullet holes in the walls and shell casings strewn inside and outside the front door.

Photos also show a shattered sliding door, displaying the evidence of the alleged wild shots fired through that door by Detective Brett Hankinson, who was fired from the LMPD in June and charged with wanton endangerment last month.

Gouge marks from bullets are seen in Taylor's home after cops fired 32 rounds

Gouge marks from bullets are seen in Taylor's home after cops fired 32 rounds

A discarded battering ram is seen outside of Taylor's apartment following the March 13 raid

A discarded battering ram is seen outside of Taylor's apartment following the March 13 raid

Photos also show a shattered sliding door, displaying the evidence of the alleged wild shots fired through that door by Detective Brett Hankinson

Photos also show a shattered sliding door, displaying the evidence of the alleged wild shots fired through that door by Detective Brett Hankinson

A termination memo released on Wednesday accused Hankinson of 'blindly firing' 10 rounds through the sliding glass door without being able to see who was on the other side.

Three of those rounds went though the rear wall of Taylor's apartment into the neighboring unit, which was occupied, resulting in the wanton endangerment charges against Hankinson. 

The files were made public on Wednesday nearly a week after hours of audio from normally secret grand jury proceedings were released by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.  

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said much of the information in the files was included in the records from the grand jury proceedings.

The files included investigative letters, interview transcripts, officers' body camera videos, audio and video files of interviews, crime scene unit reports and search warrants. 

Some items were redacted, blurred or withheld for privacy or legal reasons. Police said photos and videos of Taylor's body were 'blurred out of respect'. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EXCLUSIVE: From a $US13million mansion to a caravan: How the Australian wife of Il Divo singer has been 'forced' to live in a dodgy trailer park after a wildfire burned down their house during a bitter divorce battle

'Forced' into a 'mobile home park': Renee Izambard (nee Murphy) with her estranged husband, the suave Il Divo opera singer Sebastien Izambard An Il Divo opera singer's estranged Australian wife claims she was 'forced' to live in a caravan park after their $US12.95million Malibu mansion burned down in a wildfire days just after she filed for divorce.  Details of one-time Sydney Sony Music executive Renee Izambard's new life after her messy split with French tenor Sebastien Izambard were laid bare in a lawsuit filed with a Californian court this week. Ms Izambard (nee Murphy) is suing insurer State Farm, her estranged husband, an insurance agent and up to 20 others, over an allegedly 'inadequate' policy which covered the couple's destroyed former Malibu home.  Their five bedroom residence - described as a 'no expense spared ... oasis' - and its two guest houses went up in flames on November 8, 2018 during California's devastating Wo...

The HS2 money pit: Ministers are told first stage of high-speed rail line may cost another £800m... six months after a budget increase saw total costs soar by £20.6bn to £43billion

Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. It comes just six months after a budget increase saw total predicted costs for the first stage of the high-speed line soar by £20.6billion to £43billion. In a written statement to Parliament, HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said half of this figure is due to preparation of the route for construction involving 'more significant challenges than anticipated'. This includes the need to remove more asbestos than expected. Another 'significant cost pressure' worth £400 million has also been identified during the development of designs for Euston station. Mr Stephenson warned that further investigation is being carried out which 'could identify further pressure'. Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. Pictured: HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson The HS2 route would initially link London and...

Tests may spare school bubbles from isolating: Children could avoid disruption to lessons by being screened for Covid more often under new proposal

Ministers will explore whether children could take more Covid tests instead of self-isolating to minimise disruption to their schooling. Sajid Javid said he was seeking ‘fresh advice’ on the current policy, which sees up to 250,000 pupils miss school every day. He revealed he would discuss the subject with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson after MPs expressed concerns about children being kept at home for ten days – even after a negative PCR test – because a member of their classroom bubble has been infected. It came as the Children’s Commissioner told how pupils had experienced ‘real trauma’ during successive lockdowns. Sajid Javid said he was seeking ‘fresh advice’ on the current policy where children self-isolate, which sees up to 250,000 pupils miss school every day Dame Rachel de Souza described the class bubble system as ‘very very restrictive’, adding: ‘I think everybody would like it if we could get back to normal, as soon as possible.’ Former health minister Steve Brine tol...