Gov. J.B. Pritzker has put the Illinois National Guard in “a state of readiness” Tuesday ahead of a possible announcement of criminal charges in the death of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was shot to death in March by police officers in Louisville, Kentucky.
The decision was made after a Tuesday morning meeting between Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot, according to spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh.
“As the Governor has always said, all of the state’s resources are available to municipalities if needed; this includes additional Illinois State Police troopers and the National Guard,” Abudayyeh said. “The Governor is putting the Guard in a state of readiness to ensure they are available if municipalities request their assistance.”
Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times March 13 by officers who entered her home using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. The warrant used was connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside. The use of no-knock warrants has since been banned by Louisville’s Metro Council.
Her death gained renewed attention in May in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, when protesters took to the streets in cities across the country, including Chicago, to protest police brutality against Black people. Her name, along with Floyd’s, figured largely in discussions about the issue over the summer.
Celebrities, athletes and activists, along with Taylor’s family, have for months pushed for Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to criminally charge the officers involved in the raid.
Louisville police said in a news conference Tuesday that they were preparing for an announcement from Cameron.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer also declared a “second state of emergency due to potential civil unrest” on Tuesday, though it remains unknown whether Cameron, who is investigating the case, will charge the officers.
Contributing: Associated Press
