The family of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed by police in her home, will receive £12 million (£9.3 million) from the city of Louisville in Kentucky.
In addition to the financial settlement, Louisville will also implement a number of police reforms including how officers handle warrants.
26-year-old Taylor was murdered in her home on March 13 after being shot by police who burst into her apartment while her and her boyfriend were sleeping during a mistaken drugs raid. Officers used a “no knock” warrant, usually used in drug cases, which enabled them to enter her apartment without announcing themselves.
The police officers didn’t find any drugs in Taylor’s home and her death sparked months of protests across the city. Protestors across the globe also demanded justice for Breonna in the Black Lives Matter protests towards the start of summer.
Following her death, Breonna Taylor’s mother Tamika Palmer filed a lawsuit against the three officers involved – Officers Brett Hankinson and Myles Cosgrove and Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly – accusing them of wrongfully killing her daughter.
Hankinson shot 10 rounds blindly during the incident and was fired from the police department in June. Cosgrove and Mattingly also opened fire but have since been placed on administrative leave.
None of the officers involved have been charged.
Lonita Baker, the lawyer for Taylor’s family, spoke to press following the announcement of the settlement. She said the agreement was “tremendous but only a portion” of what the family hopes for.
“Today what we did here was to do what we could do to bring a little bit of police reform and it’s just a start,” said Ms Baker.
“But we finished the first mile in the marathon and we’ve got a lot more miles to go to until we achieve and cross that finish line.”
Social justice organisation Until Freedom released a statement saying: “No amount of money will bring back Breonna Taylor.”
“True justice is not served with cash settlements,” the organisation added. “We need those involved in her murder to be arrested and charged. We need accountability. We need justice.”