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LeBron James speaks after Breonna Taylor decision: 'I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!'

LeBron James’ initial message was short and sweet on Wednesday afternoon following a controversial grand jury ruling in Louisville, Kentucky.

“Just say her name.”

The Los Angeles Lakers star — who included a link to a poem from Aja Monet in the first of several tweets — was one of countless athletes and prominent figures in the sports world to speak out on Wednesday after the three police officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor escaped charges related to her death.

Like plenty of others, James is “devastated.”

LeBron James joins Breonna Taylor protests

A Louisville grand jury indicted former detective Brett Hankinson on three felony charges of wanton endangerment in the shooting that killed Taylor, a former EMT, on March 13.

Those charges, however, weren’t related to the actual killing of Taylor, but rather him allegedly endangering neighbors when he fired shots inside Taylor’s apartment that night.

Hankinson, along with Detective Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, fired 32 shots into Taylor’s apartment that night while executing a no-knock warrant while she was asleep with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. Police had suspected Walker on drug charges, though no drugs were found in Taylor’s apartment.

Walker told authorities that he asked the officers, who he thought were intruders, to identify themselves before he opened fire in self-defense. Police then returned fire nearly three-dozen times, killing Taylor.

Her death was one of several this year that sparked nationwide outrage and protests. The announcement on Wednesday reignited those protests, too, as people have been calling for the officers to be arrested and charged with murder.

James continued on Twitter on Wednesday night after sharing the poem, saying he wasn’t shocked by the news from the grand jury. That, though, didn’t make it any easier.

“I’ve been lost for words today!” James wrote. “I’m devastated, hurt, sad, mad! We want justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her beautiful life. Was I surprised at the verdict? Absolutely not but damnit I was and still am hurt and heavy hearted!

“I send my love to Breonna mother, family and friends! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!!”

James then promised to help Black women, who he called “the most disrespected person” on the planet.

James was one of several in the sports world to speak out on Wednesday, and among several NBA players inside the bubble at Walt Disney World in Florida to do so. His teammates Danny Green and Alex Caruso both spoke about the issue to the media, as did Denver coach Mike Malone and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. Plenty of players, both in the NBA and elsewhere, took to social media, too.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James took to Twitter on Wednesday night after the controversial grand jury decision in Breonna Taylor's case. (Aaron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty Images)

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