The mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer, will be investigated for the handling of the Breonna Taylor case, the death of David McAtee, and the protests that followed.
CNN reports The Government Oversight and Audit Committee (GOA) of the Louisville Metro Council filed an order earlier this week to officially launch an investigation “into the action and inaction of the Fischer Administration,” according to a press release from the city.
While the investigation has not happened yet, the GOA says it plans to subpoena former Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steved Conrad, and current Chief Robert Schroeder as part of its investigation.
The investigation will include the city’s actions leading up to Breonna’s death as well as relevant documents in Taylor and McAtee’s deaths and the training policies and systems that led to the no-knock warrant, which resulted in the fatal shooting of Breonna.
The investigation will also cover the city’s responses to the subsequent protests, according to the news release.
Breonna Taylor was shot eight times after police broke down her apartment door while executing a nighttime warrant in a narcotics investigation on March 13th.
David “Yaya” McAtee, affectionately known in Louisville as the “BBQ Man,” was fatally shot as police and the Kentucky National Guard dispersed a large crowd protesting the death of Breonna.
The investigation will also look into why police used tear gas at a peaceful protest, who made the call to send LMPD and the KY National Guard to 26th and Broadway the night McAtee was killed, and why protesters’ belongings were dumped in a dumpster.
As far as the type of power the committee has, it can make recommendations to the full council for action, but the committee said in a statement to CNN that it’s unclear what action will be taken considering the investigation is just beginning.
“State law gives the Metro Council the power to remove any Metro Officer from office, that includes the mayor but it has to be for misconduct or criminal activity,” the committee told CNN. “This applies to boards and commissions and the directors of Metro Government departments as well. But such action requires a majority approval vote from the Metro Council following the presentation of a report or results from an investigation. The Council also has the power of the purse when it comes to funding all government agencies including LMPD. Again, I will point out the committee has to investigate first.”
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