The Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney will not pursue charges against the woman who shot and killed a Shively Animal Clinic employee at the business last month, citing evidence that showed the shooter was acting in self-defense.
In a Wednesday release, Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers said a grand jury examining the case had returned a no true bill, meaning not enough evidence was found to put forward criminal charges against a defendant. That jury had considered charges of second-degree manslaughter and reckless homicide.
The Courier Journal is not naming the woman because she is not facing any charges in the incident.
The shooting took place May 14 at the bustling Shively Animal Clinic. Trent Taylor Jr., an employee of the business who was described by a family member at the time as a “protector” working to keep coworkers and family members on site safe, was killed.
From May:A ‘tragic situation’: What we know about the Shively Animal Clinic shooting
Whethers said evidence in the case, including video and witness statements, found Taylor was the “initial aggressor” against the woman and her spouse. Whethers said Taylor, who was the only person shot that evening, “initiated various levels of violent force against (the woman) and her spouse before (the woman) used deadly force in self-defense.”
“The various video angles and witness statements show Taylor striking (the woman) and attacking (the woman’s) spouse, and witnesses stated that he slammed her spouse against a wall and had his arm across her throat,” she added. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the community, and everyone is affected by this tragedy.”
Attorney David Mour said Taylor’s family is “extremely disappointed” and he plans to file a civil lawsuit on their behalf. He pushed back against the commonwealth’s attorney’s stance after Wednesday’s announcement, saying he felt Whethers’ office had not pushed to obtain an indictment and had instead given the case to a grand jury as a “public relations issue” as he questioned why no one was arrested at the scene on the day of the shooting.
“I can assure you if the prosecutor believed in this and took it to the grand jury and pushed, that there’d have been an indictment if they’d had wanted an indictment to ensue, and obviously they didn’t,” Mour said at a press conference alongside Taylor’s father. “They can’t bring their son back but they were expecting some form of justice here, and my opinion is they’ve been robbed of it.”
Mour said he was told by the commonwealth’s attorney that charges could be filed if “additional information came to light,” though he did not sound optimistic.
Whethers’ office did not respond to a request for comment following Mour’s press conference, saying its only statement would be the one issued with the announcement it would not press charges.
The conflict started, Mour said, because the woman who shot Taylor and the people with her were upset with the clinic, which had treated her dog. Mour said the footage shows she was “extremely angry and agitated” before Taylor came out to try to get her out of the business.
Mour said she pulled out a gun and Taylor was eventually shot after he pushed her up against a wall.
Video footage shows Taylor did not instigate the conflict, Mour argued. While Taylor did use force to try to get the woman at the center of the case − and others who were with her − out of the business, the attorney said the actions did not justify deadly force.
Taylor was never armed with a gun or knife, Mour said, though at one point a large orange cone was used as a “buffer weapon.”
“I guess the commonwealth’s attorney is saying to the people of Kentucky that if someone comes at you with a traffic cone, you can shoot them. I disagree with that,” Mour said. “I think there are times when the use of deadly physical force to protect yourself or others is appropriate. In this instance, I just don’t think it was.”
Shively Police responded to the shooting before referring the case to the commonwealth’s attorney. In a brief statement following Wednesday’s announcement, that department said it “recognizes and respects the Jefferson County Grand Jury’s decision not to issue an indictment in this case.”
Furthermore, we recognize this is a tragic situation for all involved. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in the community, and those impacted by this tragedy,” the statement said.
Taylor, a 21-year-old who went by “TJ” to his family members, handled supplies as an employee at Shively Animal Clinic, where he worked along with a sibling and his stepmother, who was also on the scene at the time of the shooting.
“Losing TJ to such a senseless act has devastated our family and our Shively Animal Clinic family. His death has not only forever changed our lives, but also countless others whether they knew him personally or not,” a statement from his family after the shooting said. “Our son died protecting his co-workers, mother and brother (who are also employees).”
Trent Taylor Sr., described his son as “a very kind person and one of the best kids you could ask for.” The family plans to raise money in his name to help families with pets.
Yes. Mour said at one point the commonwealth’s attorney told him new charges could be filed if “additional information came to light.”
Reach Lucas Aulbach at [email protected].