Once upon a time, there was a beautiful, courageous, compassionate, hard-working person with an infectious smile and the most vibrant personality, as described by others around her, who was "mistakenly" shot by police. The story of Breonna Taylor, a Louisville native who became a medical assistant and volunteered in her community.

On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker, were asleep at midnight. Around 12.25 a.m., the cops vigorously hammered on her door. They had a no-knock search warrant.

Breonna and her boyfriend became really terrified. Kenneth, who legally owned a revolver, approached the door, asking who it was; no one responded. Naturally, nobody would answer the door. When the police broke in, Kenneth warned them and shot, hitting one of the cops in the leg.

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The cops opened fire on the incorrect person, Breonna Taylor, who was standing in the corner of the room and was shot five to seven times. Kenneth was promptly arrested by police. They obtained a no-knock search warrant because they thought Breonna's flat was used to smuggle, sell and accept cash for narcotics.

This was a Narcotics case. Her boyfriend and she were never the suspects; Breonna's ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, was suspected of utilising her location for such transactions. Breonna was shot at 12.40 a.m. and got medical assistance at 12.47 a.m., after which she was pronounced dead. Protests soon broke out in the United States.

One of the most widely publicised examples was police brutality. Cases of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Breonna Taylor unveiled the Black Lives Matter movement. The major reason for the demonstrations was that there was no quick action was taken against the police personnel.

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The protesters also said that this case exemplified systematic racial and police violence against Black people in America. The hashtag #sayhername came to light.

The chant "say her name" is intended to highlight the disproportionate impact of police violence on Black women, whose cases often receive less media attention than those of other women. Following the demonstrations and exposure surrounding her case, the city of Louisville agreed to a $12 million civil settlement, which is also the biggest payout ever paid by the government. The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) implemented certain modifications.

1. They banned Non-Knock Warrants

2. Requiring drug and alcohol testing of officers involved in shootings and deadly accidents.

3. Mandating body cameras for officers during the execution of all search warrants.

4. Establishing a housing credit program for police officers to live in the communities they serve.

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Now, I know what you're thinking: thank goodness they made these improvements; just contemplate what you just read read. Many cities were placed under curfew, and while many protests were peaceful, police occasionally employed crowd control techniques like as tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and flash bangs, particularly when they felt a threat or protestors became confrontational.

There were complaints of police driving vehicles into people, as well as policemen being hurt or property being damaged. The police reaction itself was criticised for using excessive force and brutality. George Floyd, the person who inspired the Black Lives Matter movement, died as a result of police violence in a protest.

One of the detectives in Breonna's case, Kelly Goodlett, pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in August 2022, following her death, for her involvement in fabricating the search warrant and concealing it up. Her plea constitutes a straightforward acknowledgement of criminal culpability connected to the searches illegality.

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Finally, in November 2024, a federal jury convicted Brett Hankinson of breaching Breonna's civil rights (using excessive force). This conviction, which carries a potential life term, represents his acts, particularly those that endangered Taylor, although he was not charged with Breonna's death, directly.

Why? Because state prosecutors found that the cops who fired were shot first, and it was an act of self-defence. This is the problem; nothing can be stopped unless something significant occurs.

The US police force has always taken similar steps. As of 2025, I was watching a news channel cover the story on the LA riots, and a video clip revealed how the cops had just shot the leg of a journalist documenting the incident. She didn't do anything; she was just recording her statement peacefully. She wasn't part of the riots.

This is the issue. You grant authority to those who we believe will aid citizens, but they use it against us because they have it. This is how the system loses its credibility.

Sure, these cops were impacted, and they did plead guilty, but not for her death. And the court justifies shooting her since her boyfriend had shot them.

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Is this what justice today stands for? That if someone kills an innocent person, they are not responsible? Sure, Breonna's family received $12 million, but will they ever get her back?

I live in Africa, and residents from other countries consistently treat Africans poorly. Well, I have a question: who gave them the right to choose racial supremacy? We are not in the 1920s; we are in 2025; the world has changed, and so should those who hold such ideas.

This applies to everyone, not just girls. Police symbolise the system, and when they commit crimes, the system fails to provide justice. Is this the dread we should have, that the cops will shoot us? Breonna's situation was publicised, and such steps were implemented; nevertheless, what if her case had not been publicised?

Would the police and the American legal system implement such changes and actions? Every day, someone dies as a result of this, and we are all paying the price. Power is not for personal gain; it is granted by the people for the people, and it should be entrusted to individuals who understand how to handle such responsibility, not thoughtless, macho cops. Badass cops look wonderful in movies, but they don't in reality.

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