As the trial begins in the shooting case related to Breonna Taylor' death, former Louisville officer Brett Hankison's defense attorney said in his opening statement that evidence in the case will show that the scene was "total chaos," CNN reports.Attorney Stew Mathews said that seven Louisville officers were on the scene that night to execute the search warrant on Breonna Taylor's apartment. He said that at least five will testify, including Hankison. He said that the evidence will show that Hankison "returned fire" after seeing a "muzzle flash" from inside the apartment. Mathews said that Hankison followed his training, which says that officers fire until the threat has been stopped.
Mathews said Hankison was trying to save his fellow officers who were caught in "the fatal funnel" inside the hallway. Assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley told the jury that former officer Brett Hankison told police investigators that he made the decision to shoot his gun because saw somebody with an "AR rifle" inside the apartment. Whaley said no rifle was found that night inside the apartment, only a Glock pistol. Hankison faces three counts of wanton endangerment after allegedly shooting blindly into an occupied apartment next door to Taylor's, though the charges are not related to Taylor's death.