GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — On Wednesday, during a warm and sunny evening, people gathered to remember the life of Breonna Taylor.
The Grand Rapids native was inside her home in Louisville, Kentucky, when police entered her home with a no-knock warrant and shot and killed her four years ago.
Dee Dee Taylor, Breonna's sister, says she was shining down on everyone here today.
"She must be smiling and having a good day in heaven. Because this day is beautiful," Dee Dee said.
Many of Breonna's close friends and family stood on the street bearing her name to remember her.
"I wish I could have gave her one last hug. I wish I could have one last phone call. I wish I could have just known that something like this would happen because I'll have the opportunity to share with her how much I love and appreciate her, and I'm proud of her," Dee Dee said.
Dee explains that this day will be a celebration of life every year.
"I consider this a celebration of life. The reason why we chose to have doves is because doves represent unity, represent love and represent the common analogy of just good spirits that we all desire for our community," Dee Dee added.
A sign of unity was seen when the Grand Rapids police chief joined the family shoulder to shoulder.
"A lot of it has changed because of how Breanna Taylor was killed. And the changes that brought forward, I think, has moved our policing profession in a positive direction," Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom told FOX 17.
The police chief also wrote an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press. The op-ed said in part, "Immediate entry no-knock warrants do more harm than good and should be eliminated except in the most extreme circumstances."
"There is no need to conduct a no-knock search warrant. We haven't done one since I've been here, and I don't see one in the foreseeable future unless it's necessary to preserve life," Winstrom said.
Preserving life is a mission Dee Dee supports with her nonprofit Taylor Made Re-Entry.
"We're inside of jail six months to a year before a person is released, providing hard skills, soft skills. And then as soon as they come home, they're right back with me for that more intense case management process," Dee Dee explained.
She adds that the best way for her to honor her sister is with change so no one has to go through what her family did.
"We also have special education for law enforcement. So I have a program called Hill, and that's helping eradicate adverse law enforcement," Dee Dee told FOX 17.
The family says they plan on remembering Breonna again on her birthday.
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