The Leadership Conference Statement on the Shooting of Breonna Taylor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shin Inouye, [email protected], 202.869.0398

WASHINGTON – Allyn Brooks-LaSure, executive vice president for communications of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the shooting of Breonna Taylor:

“We mourn the appalling loss of Breonna Taylor and are incensed at the circumstances of her killing at the hands of law enforcement. This tragedy occurred when the Louisville Police Department SWAT team forced their way into her apartment, allegedly unannounced, and shot her eight times. Sadly, she is not the first person to lose their life to or be the victim of a high risk, militarized use of a no-knock search warrant to seize drugs – none of which were found in the apartment.

“The so-called ‘war on drugs’ is a failure – it disproportionately incarcerates people of color and leads to too many casualties. Those responsible for Taylor’s death must be held accountable. We join the calls from local advocates and Taylor’s family for an independent investigation into her killing. As an EMT, Taylor worked to save lives – those in power must act to honor hers.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.