Washington, Sep 24 (UNI) Protests have rocked the US cities of Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland and San Diego after a grand jury brought no charges against police officers for the killing of African-American woman Breonna Taylor during a drug raid at her home.
26-year-old Afro-American medical technician Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove on March 13, 2020 at her Louisville home.
The state attorney general ruled the deadly use of force by the police officers involved was justified in order to protect themselves. One of the officers was still charged with wanton endangerment. Soon after the announcement, clashes between protesters and police broke out in Louisville. Two officers have reportedly received gunshot wounds.
The police officers were executing a drug search warrant. Taylor's boyfriend allegedly fired the first shot in self-defense "fearing the entrants were burglars", which prompted the police officers to unleash a hail of bullets on the house, hitting Taylor several times.
After the jury's decision to bring no charges against police officers, Portland witnessed unruly scenes as protesters gathered outside the police’s Central Precinct and hurled rocks at the upper glass window.
Portland police Tweeted "During this evening's mass gathering: Awning outside of Central Precinct lit on fire and multiple rocks thrown at upper glass window leaves substantial damage." Apart from rocks demonstrators were seen in videos released by the Portland police throwing a Molotov Cocktail at officers.
"To those who have gathered outside of the Justice Center to include Central Precinct: This gathering is still declared a riot," the Portland police tweeted in the late hours of Wednesday.
Protests in San Diego were declared "an unlawful assembly" after police reported acts of violence and vandalism in front of their headquarters building. They ordered protesters to disperse and warned about arrests. Media reports have confirmed detention of eight people.
During an unlawful assembly in Seattle, police reported that protesters set up multiple fires, threw explosives at officers and inflicted property damage.
"Leave the area immediately or you may be subject to arrest," the police warned.
On Wednesday evening, protesters also took to the streets in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles, CNN reported.
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