Protests and violence have erupted in Louisville, Kentucky, after it was announced Wednesday that a grand jury had decided not to charge any police officers in the shooting of Breonna Taylor. As the outrage over the decision about the Louisville shooting further emphasizes the deep divisions in the U.S., Christian leaders are expressing their own grief and calling people to mourn with those who mourn.
A Louisville Shooting: The Death of Breonna Taylor
“It’s all kind of numbing,” Christian artist Lecrae tweeted. “On one hand it’s like I KNOW I’m not crazy there’s a real problem in our country. On the other I’m sad that everyone doesn’t see it and some don’t want to. Of course I know God is at work. It’s just tough to process it all.”
It’s all kind of numbing. On one hand it’s like I KNOW I’m not crazy there’s a real problem in our country. On the other I’m sad that everyone doesn’t see it and some don’t want to. Of course I know God is at work. It’s just tough to process it all. #BreonnaTaylor https://t.co/b1ALKdkRS3
— Lecrae (@lecrae) September 23, 2020
“The true atrocity is this. In America, what happened to Breonna Taylor is not considered a crime,” said Rev. Dr. Mika Edmondson, pastor of New City Fellowship OPC in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The true atrocity is this. In America, what happened to Breonna Taylor is not considered a crime.
Think about what that means for everyone who shares Breonna Taylor’s neighborhood, skin color, and gender. #BreonnaTaylor
— Mika Edmondson (@mika_edmondson) September 23, 2020
Dr. Eric Mason, pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, simply posted a picture of Taylor.
#breonnataylor pic.twitter.com/lJE6Kpj3UW
— Dr. Eric Mason (@pastoremase) September 23, 2020
Southern Baptist Convention president J.D. Greear, tweeted, “Grieving for the family of Breonna Taylor and praying for the two officers shot last night in Louisville. Praying for justice, peace, protection and healing in Louisville and in our nation at large. Prince of Peace, help us.”
Grieving for the family of Breonna Taylor and praying for the two officers shot last night in Louisville. Praying for justice, peace, protection and healing in Louisville and in our nation at large. Prince of Peace, help us.
— J.D. Greear (@jdgreear) September 24, 2020
Dwight McKissic, senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, said of the Louisville shooting, “I must admit, I’m struggling tonight about a denomination who can be passionate about being ‘pro-life,’ but passive regarding the life of Breonna Taylor. Dr King’s famous letter from the Birmingham jail expressed huge disappointment to this brand of Christianity. Feeling King!”
I must admit, I’m struggling tonight about a denomination who can be passionate about being “pro-life,” but passive regarding the life of Breonna Taylor. Dr King’s famous letter from the Birmingham jail expressed huge disappointment to this brand of Christianity. Feeling King!
— Dwight McKissic (@pastordmack) September 24, 2020
Raymond Chang, president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, believes “there are two ways” to look at what happened.
There are two ways to look at the circumstances around Breonna Taylor’s killing.
1) Police followed the protocols.
2) The protocols, in a racialized framework, led to Taylor’s death. Also, why get rid of no-knock warrants & pay out $12 million if there wasn’t something wrong?— Raymond Chang (@tweetraychang) September 24, 2020
Breonna Taylor, along with others such as George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Jacob Blake, has become a touchpoint for activists’ calls to address racial injustice in the United States. However, the details surrounding her shooting remain muddy. Even as the public decries the grand jury’s decision not to indict any of the officers involved in Taylor’s death, former professional basketball players Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley have drawn criticism for suggesting the grand jury’s conclusion was reasonable.
Charles Barkley recently stated he believes it is unfair to compare Taylor’s death to those of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. “I don’t think this one was like George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery and things like that,” he said. “I feel sad that this young lady lost her life. I think the no-knock warrant is something we need to get rid of across the board. But we do have to take into account that her boyfriend shot at the cops and shot a cop.” O’Neal agreed with Barkley that officers were justified in acting in self-defense, as well as that the legal system needs reform.
What Happened with the Louisville Shooting of Breonna Taylor?
Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency room technician who died in the early morning of March 13 after being shot six times. Three plainclothes police officers were serving a “no-knock warrant,” which allows law enforcement to enter a residence without warning. The warrant for Taylor’s apartment was one of five others the officers were serving as part of a narcotics raid.