Beastie Boys DJ Mix Master Mike to Give Back Louisville Key to City in Call for Justice for Breonna Taylor

The iconic DJ was given the key to the city from Mayor Greg Fischer in 2015 after he performed a benefit concert in the city.

Beastie Boys DJ Mix Master Mike took to Instagram over the weekend to announce he is giving back his special key to the City of Louisville, calling for justice to be served in the killing of Breonna Taylor. The iconic DJ was given the key to the city from Mayor Greg Fischer in 2015 after he performed a benefit concert in the city.

On Saturday, the “Three Emcees and One DJ” spinner took to Instagram to announce that while the key is “a great honor,” he said, “unfortunately I’ll be giving this key back to Mayor Fischer if justice isn’t served for the killing of Breonna Taylor.”

He posted a photo of the special key as well as a photo of the 26-year-old EMT who was killed after police opened fire on her apartment.

Some WNBA players are also working to raise awareness of Taylor’s death by playing the forthcoming season out in her honor, and proposed having a “Black Lives Matter” court.

"We have always been at the forefront of initiatives with strong support of #BlackLivesMatter, #SayHerName, the LGBTQ+ community, gun control, voting rights, #MeToo, mental health and the list goes on," said Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA players' union. "This ... may be one of the biggest opportunities that this league has and will ever have."

On March 13, 2020, police executed the no-knock warrant on Taylor’s home before using a battering ram to enter Taylor's apartment at around 1 a.m. as part of a narcotics investigation. It was announced last month that the FBI is now investigating the death of Taylor.

Neither Taylor nor her boyfriend Kenneth Walker were the investigation's target. Police had suspected, though, that Taylor’s home was used by another person to receive drugs. Neither Taylor nor Walker had any criminal history and no drugs were located in the home.

Walker, 27, had been charged with assault and attempted murder on a police officer. Walker had previously pleaded not guilty and been released to "home incarceration” before a judge dismissed his case in May.

The three officers involved in the shooting have not been criminally charged. The city has initiated procedures to fire Officer Brett Hankison, while Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officer Myles Cosgrove have been placed on administrative reassignment.

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