Washington DC

Demonstrators March DC Streets to Protest No Charges in Breonna Taylor's Killing

"One thing that every Black woman in this country has to realize now is that could've been me"

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Protesters filled the streets of D.C. and cities across America Wednesday night in reaction to a Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge Louisville officers in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Hundreds of demonstrators marched from the Department of Justice to Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House.

D.C. police said rolling road closures were in effect as the demonstrators marched.

"It's extremely disappointing, extremely disheartening. Especially for someone who loves their country, loves being in America, loves living here — it's really, really disheartening," one woman told News4's Shomari Stone near the White House as protesters began to gather.

"One thing that every Black woman in this country has to realize now is that could've been me," she said.

Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by white officers who entered her home on a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. The warrant used to search her home was connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside.

"It shows you that Black lives don't matter," one man outraged by the news told News4.

The only charges stemming from the raid were three counts of wanton endangerment against former officer Brett Hankison for shooting into an apartment next to Taylor's that had people in it.

While protests remained peaceful downtown, there were reports of damage in Dupont Circle. Windows were shattered at a bank and a Starbucks. It's not clear if the vandalism is related to the protests.

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