Around the time the country was waiting for the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial, a black teenager named Ma'Khia Bryant was shot and killed by a white officer in Columbus, Ohio. Almost instantly, calls for justice were sent out. The premature reactions didn't change much over the next day. NBA star LeBron James even tweeted, then deleted, a threatening tweet directed at the officer who shot Bryant. Demands for accountability and justice have continued.
The problem with seamlessly connecting every officer-involved death, shooting, or use of force is that each case is unique. The only thread of similarity between the deaths of George Floyd, Daunte Wright, and Bryant is that they involved a white police officer and a black individual. The specifics vary widely.
Reaching a similar conclusion about the guilt of law enforcement based on the roles and races of those involved in more than one incident is dishonest. But this doesn't stop media, politicians, celebrities, and activists from doing just that. In too many minds, if a police officer used force, he or she is automatically in the wrong.
Across social media, news sites help to perpetuate an anti-police narrative. Articles from the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Daily Beast all refer to the Chauvin verdict being released around the time of Bryant's death. Other sites, such as Newsweek, gave little to no supporting information in their initial tweets other than "Black girl shot dead by Columbus police."
Collectively, it gives the impression that Floyd's and Bryant's deaths are similar, and if Chauvin is guilty, then Nicholas Reardon, the officer who shot Bryant, must be too. None of these reactions rely upon the facts of the situation. As made evident by the body camera footage, the Ohio shooting was done to prevent a stabbing. It was lethal force used to stop an immediate threat. It was not the targeted killing of a black teenager.
There should be honest discussions about police use of force and what is best for every situation. When officers cross the line, they should be held accountable. But just as important is correct usage of the term "police brutality." Applying that to all officer-involved shootings or deaths is disingenuous. Not only that, it does great harm to the instances where police brutality actually occurs.
Take, for instance, the deaths of Floyd, Wright, and Bryant. Floyd died in part due to the physical restraint he was under at the hands of Chauvin and other officers. Tragically, Wright died when Kim Potter reached for her gun instead of Taser and shot him. Bryant was about to stab another teenager, and Nicholas Reardon used deadly force to stop her.
It is true that all three are tragic events. It is also true that they are dissimilar. Chauvin was overly aggressive, Potter made a life-ending mistake, and Reardon appears to have just been doing his job to protect others.
It is impossible to address improper policing when all interactions are deemed incorrect. The current environment is tense, but that does not mean we should ever rush to judgment. There are many good police officers who do their duty in communities nationwide. They should be held accountable if they commit a wrong, but not before.
Whether on the Left or Right, there must be a commitment to honesty when it comes to evaluating law enforcement. Officers are not always right, but they are also not always wrong. Proper policing doesn't mean there won't be tragic, unexpected outcomes.
When an individual is bent on violence, there is often only one solution. When an officer goes beyond the bounds of his duty, there must be accountability. The two should not be confused.
Police brutality is real, so it shouldn't be applied to everything. Treating everything as a Floyd-like interaction makes the actual cases of police brutality fade into the background.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
