Carrollton mayor unaware county sheriff was hiring former LMPD officer who fatally shot Breonna Taylor

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The City of Carrollton's mayor didn't know Carrollton County Sheriff's Department was hiring a former Louisville police officer who fired the fatal shot that killed Breonna Taylor.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office on Saturday confirmed the employment of Myles Cosgrove, who was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in January 2021 for violating use-of-force procedures and failing to use a body camera during the raid on Taylor's apartment, according to media reports.

Carrollton Mayor Robb Adams said the decision to hire Cosgrove as a sheriff's deputy was made solely by Sheriff Ryan Gosser. The city's police department and sheriff's office are two separate agencies.

"The city was not consulted, nor were we required to be consulted," Adams said. "The Sheriff is an elected position and has the authority to make his or her own personnel decisions."

Adams said Cosgrove had applied to the City of Carrollton in the past, but he wasn't selected for employment.

Investigators said that Cosgrove fired 16 rounds into the apartment after Taylor's front door was breached during a narcotics raid on March 13, 2020. Thinking an intruder was breaking in, Taylor's boyfriend fired a shot from a handgun at the officers. Officer Jonathan Mattingly was struck in the leg, and the officers returned fire, killing Taylor in her hallway.

An FBI investigation determined that Cosgrove and Mattingly struck Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, and that Cosgrove likely fired the fatal shot. Neither officer was charged by a 2020 state grand jury in Taylor's death, and a two-year investigation by the FBI also cleared Cosgrove and Mattingly of any charges.

The FBI probe found that other superior officers had crafted a faulty drug warrant that contained false information about Taylor. U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland said in August that the officers who went to Taylor's apartment with the warrant "were not involved in drafting the warrant affidavit and were not aware that it was false."

Robert Miller, chief deputy in Carroll County, pointed out that Cosgrove was cleared by the state grand jury when speaking of his hiring at the small Kentucky sheriff's department.

In November, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council voted not to revoke Cosgrove's state peace officer certification. That meant he could apply for other law enforcement jobs in the state.

About a dozen people showed up in downtown Carrolton Monday morning to object to his hiring, holding signs and chanting "Cosgrove has got to go."

Adams said Carrollton Police activated its protest protocol on Monday.

"Given the geographic location of the courthouse in the city limits, the City of Carrollton Police Department had an obligation to make a presence to ensure safety of our residents and visitors," Adams said. "A group did assemble at the courthouse lawn to exercise their right to a peaceful protest, and it was a peaceful protest without any incident."

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