GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It's been three years since Breonna Taylor was killed by police officers in Louisville, Kentucky.
Her family is still calling for justice, and a balloon release and prayer was held by Rosa Parks Circle in Downtown Grand Rapids to honor her.
"We're just honoring her name in a positive light," her sister, Dee Dee Taylor, says.
Bundles of blue balloons were passed out to family and community members in remembrance of Breonna Taylor on the third anniversary of her death.
"She was the sweetest, kindest person in the world. She was not an EMT for no reason," Dee Dee says.
Breonna was born in Grand Rapids and lived here until she was about 15 years old. She was a 26-year-old first responder in Louisville, and just after midnight on March 13, 2020, she was killed in a botched police raid.
While there have been multiple federal civil rights violations in this case against four current and former police officers of the Louisville Police Department, no officer has ever been charged with shooting her.
Three years later, her family is still calling for accountability.
"We'd just like the community to just keep praying with us and keep asking for justice with us," Terry Rostic, Breonna's great-uncle says. "Some day we will get this justice."
He says it felt good that multiple people joined them for the balloon release.
"When we see the balloons went up, went through my head was 'This is for you, Breonna,'" Rostic says. "We're down here, but we're thinking about you every day."
Grand Rapids police officers, including Chief Eric Winstrom, joined the balloon release, which Dee Dee says was encouraging.
"We have to all come with our hearts and try to think about a better alternative than what we have now. And the only way to really be peaceful and do that better alternative is coming together with love and fellowship and just working together for the better good of the cause," she says.
The event ended with a prayer from Breonna Taylor's grandmother.
This anniversary comes just a few days after the Department of Justice released findings that the Louisville Police Department had used aggressive policing styles for years, especially against the Black community.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.