CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker put the Illinois National Guard in “a state of readiness” Tuesday ahead of a possible announcement of criminal charges in the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was shot to death by police officers in Louisville, Kentucky in March.
The decision was made after a Tuesday morning meeting between Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, according to spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh.
“As the Governor has always said, all of the state’s resources are available to municipalities if needed; this includes additional Illinois State Police troopers and the National Guard,” Abudayyeh said. “The Governor is putting the Guard in a state of readiness to ensure they are available if municipalities request their assistance.”
Louisville police said in a news conference Tuesday that they were preparing for an announcement from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is investigating the case.
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Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times March 13 by officers who entered her home using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. The warrant used was connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside, according to the Associated Press. The use of no-knock warrants has since been banned by Louisville’s Metro Council.
Celebrities, athletes and activists, along with Taylor’s family, have for months pushed for Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to criminally charge the officers involved in the raid.
Taylor's death has sparked protests across the U.S. this summer against police brutality.
Chicago police told WBBM Newsradio it has no information on any additional measures being taken at this time.
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Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer also declared a “second state of emergency due to potential civil unrest” on Tuesday, though it remains unknown whether Cameron, who is investigating the case, will charge the officers.
(Source: The Chicago Sun-Times and the Associated Press contributed to this report.)