Police release body camera video of officer fatally shooting teenage girl armed with knife in Ohio

Other officers on the scene can be seen immediately rushing to check on and assist Bryant, who fell to the ground. A knife can be seen next to her on the ground. Police said at a press conference that Bryant was “attempting to stab” the other female individual with the knife when the shots were fired. Several other people were seen standing nearby, some of whom can be heard shouting.

Police said medics were called, and Bryant was taken to a local hospital in critical condition before later being declared dead. Police initially responded to the report of an attempted stabbing in the city’s Southeast Side.

CROWD OUTSIDE MINNEAPOLIS COURTROOM CHEERS GUILTY VERDICT IN DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL

Franklin County Children’s Services confirmed the girl that was killed was Bryant, a 16-year-old in foster care, according to a statement.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, who appeared at the Tuesday evening press conference with Interim Columbus Police Chief Michael Woods, said it was a “tragic day” in Columbus. “We know, based on this footage, the officer took action to protect another young girl in our community,” he also said.

Woods said police “normally don’t provide information” so soon, but he noted, “We understand the public’s need, desire, and expectation to have transparency upon what happened.”

An investigation is being conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus Jr., who also spoke at the Tuesday evening press conference, said the death of a teenager “is devastating. She could be my grandchild. My heart breaks for the family tonight.”

He also called for patience with the investigation, insisting that “fast, quick answers cannot come at the cost of accurate answers.”

Reardon, the officer who discharged his weapon, “will be taken off the street,” according to Woods, who added that, “Decisions based about policy will come with conclusion of the criminal investigation.” He also said officers are permitted to use deadly force to protect themselves or a third party, but stressed that the investigation in this incident needs to be completed before making any determinations.

Police said Reardon joined the force in December 2019.

City officials provided an update on Wednesday, releasing audio of the 911 calls and more body camera video, which included an officer walking alongside the female individual in pink who was attacked by Bryant. She told the officer as they got into a police car that the teenager “came after me” and acknowledged Bryant had a knife.

Paula Bryant, identified as Ma’Khia Bryant’s mother, told WBNS-TV, a local CBS affiliate, “I’m very upset, I’m hurt. I want answers.”

She also said her daughter “had a motherly nature about her. She promoted peace. That is something that I want to always be remembered.”

A woman named Hazel Bryant, who identified as Ma’Khia Bryant’s aunt, claimed Ma’Khia Bryant got in a fight with another person who lived in the same foster home on the street, and her niece had a knife. Hazel Bryant also said her niece dropped the knife before being shot multiple times by a police officer, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Those claims were reported before police released the body camera video.

“Either you report the truth, or don’t report nothing,” she said in a video clip posted to Twitter by a WSYX reporter. “She was a good kid. She was loving. Yeah, she had issues. But that’s OK. All of us go through s—. You know what, she was 15 motherf—-n years old. She didn’t deserve to die like a dog on the street.”

Protesters, including those holding Black Lives Matter signs and megaphones, gathered in the evening, near the scene of the shooting. “Say her name! Ma’Khia Bryant!” said some of the demonstrators as they marched downtown.

“We don’t get to celebrate nothing,” said someone identified by the Columbus Dispatch as K.C. Taynor, who was speaking through a megaphone about the Derek Chauvin verdict. “… In the end, you know what, you can’t be black.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to Columbus police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation for more information but did not immediately hear back.

A Facebook user named Tay Jones posted on the platform that the girl had a knife because “somebody tried to jump her,” and the white police officer didn’t tell her to put the knife down, according to the Daily Beast.

Jones also posted video that appears to be from the scene with someone lying on the ground. Bright-colored sneakers can be seen at the bottom of the footage, and an officer is standing over the person.

“This is the racist-a– b—- that shot this poor f—ing girl,” a voice says in the video. “I’m not gonna put this s— on camera. They f—ing shot this girl talking about she tried to stab him. The f—? That’s somebody’s f—ing daughter, b—-.”

Onlookers gathered near the location of the shooting, which WSYX reporter Alexis Moberger identified as Legion Lane. One man demanded to know whether body cameras were worn by any officers involved.

“We sick of being peaceful,” someone told officers gathered at the scene, adding, “That peaceful stuff is for the birds. We did that last summer. We ain’t being peaceful no more.”

Others chanted, “Black lives matter.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The shooting happened not long before Chauvin, a 45-year-old white man, was convicted guilty on all charges, including second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, in connection to the May 2020 death of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, after he was arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill.

Chauvin was seen placing a knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe.

Chauvin could now face decades behind bars and perhaps the rest of his life. The judge announced that his sentencing trial would take place in eight weeks. He was taken into custody, and his bail was revoked. Defense attorneys for Chauvin can seek an appeal.

Floyd’s death was followed by months of demonstrations and riots in Minneapolis and in places across the country and the world, with many protesting racial inequality and police brutality.

Ben Crump, an attorney for the Floyd family, reacted to the news about Bryant.

“As we breathed a collective sigh of relief today, a community in Columbus felt the sting of another police shooting as @ColumbusPolice killed an unarmed 15yo Black girl named Makiyah Bryant. Another child lost! Another hashtag. #JusticeForMakiyahBryant,” he said in a tweet.