I'm starting a thread on Makiyah Bryant to not clutter the other threads as I think her death is different than other LEO shootings of Black Americans. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ohio-police-kill-teenaged-black-girl-say-media-family-2021-04-21/ Ohio police kill Black teenage girl seen threatening others with knife Police in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday fatally shot a Black teenage girl they confronted as she lunged at two people with a knife, as seen in police video footage of the encounter, authorities said. The incident, sparking street protests in Ohio’s largest city, came as the nation was focused on the guilty verdict a Minneapolis jury returned against a white former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd last year by kneeling on his neck. Authorities described the teenager who was fatally shot as a 15-year-old girl. But family members have identified her as Ma'Khia Bryant, aged 16. The officer who opened fire was not identified but appears from the video to be white. The interim Columbus police chief, Michael Woods, said the officer "would be taken off the street" pending an investigation. Releasing police body-camera video of Tuesday's shooting hours later, Woods said officers involved were responding to an emergency-911 call from someone who reported an attempted stabbing at a home on the city's southeast side. Arriving police encountered a chaotic scene of several people on the front lawn where Bryant, brandishing a knife, charged toward one person who falls backwards, then lunged at a second person, the video showed. A slow-motion replay of the video shows the second person stumbling backward against a car parked in the driveway as Bryant raises the weapon as if about to stab her, and an officer opens fire. Bryant immediately collapses against the parked car and on to the ground, and the weapon, which appears to be a kitchen knife, is seen lying on the pavement near her as an officer crouches at her side to render medical aid. The police chief said the video, which he said shows Bryant trying to stab the two other people, was released to the public within hours of the incident in the interest of "transparency." Around the time the video was made public, live television news coverage showed a growing crowd of protesters on city streets after dark, confronting a small line of police officers on bicycles. The demonstration appeared from media coverage to be peaceful, with protesters repeatedly chanting the teenager's name. The Columbus Dispatch reported that demonstrators had gathered near the scene of the shooting earlier in the day. Woods said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) had opened an inquiry into the case. The city's public safety director, Ned Pettus, Jr., appealed for calm while the investigation proceeds and facts are uncovered in what he called "a devastating" loss of life. "Fast, quick answers cannot come at the cost of accurate answers," Pettus told a late news conference with the police chief and mayor. "BCI will conduct a fully independent investigation, which will be made public. If an officer has violated policy or the law, if they have, they will be held accountable." Mayor Andrew Ginther said it appeared from an initial review of the footage that the officer who opened fire "took action to protect another young girl in our community." "But another young girl will still not be coming home tonight," he said. "I ask everyone to pray for peace. Tonight, we pray for this family, we pray for this city, and we pray for our neighbors." A woman identified in the Columbia Dispatch account as the slain girl’s aunt, Hazel Bryant, told the newspaper the teenager lived in a foster home and became involved in an altercation with someone at the residence. The Video:. The Shooting is at the :07 second mark.
This is a horrible situation but from the video it does appear that Mikayah Bryant was in the process of stabbing the other girl. In situations where an LEO believes where someone's life is in danger they will act including using lethal force. They won't wait to determine who they are. When a firearm is engaged they are trained to shoot at the center of mass to stop the the threat. There is no such thing as shooting to wound. Some of the witnesses are saying that she didn't have a knife and for me from the video it's hard to make out a knife but she appears to be rearing back to stab. It's possible she had a knife and as she got shot it fell out of her hand. It would help to have another angle and more info but from the body cam video it looks to me as though the LEO did act to protect someone else's life.
If the officer does not shoot, I wonder if the other girl lives? Unfortunately, seems like the shooting was justified, but I guess lets see if anything else comes out of it.
“Little girl” dint do nuffin! Nuffin! Officer potentially saved pink girl’s life. Maybe “racist” officer should have just let them be. Black on black murder, no one would care.
If somebody was coming at me with a deadly weapon and a cop shot them for my protection, I would be forever grateful.
This shooting was justified. Bryant had already assaulted another girl and had a weapon (looks like a knife) pointed at the girl in the pink outfit and appeared more than ready to use it.
Anyone that thinks the cop is at fault here is stupid. Just like people who didn't think Floyd was murdered.
From the video I saw on TV the shooting appeared justified. It was good of the Columbus police department to quickly release the video. And I believe an independent investigation will happen. Doesn't seem like much of a debate beyond the timing. Seems more important that law enforcement continues to take steps to be very transparent and time with the communities. Also seems like a need for more dirct communication between law enforcement, judicial, and communities.
Cop isn't at fault. I don't think anyone is denying that here at least. I'm just wondering if a less than lethal option was possible? That's probably the point of discussion here where there might be some grey.
This is me being lazy but has the victim of the receiving end of being almost stabbed commented? Did she confirm a knife?
She was in the process of stabbing someone. No other option than to shoot her. Imagine if he didn't shoot and she stabbed the girl and the girl died, what the ramifications would be. Not only is it justified, it was the right thing to do.
I mean a taser is far more instant and could have also saved the victim of the stab attempt. This is just me thinking if policy here. I could be very wrong. At the end of the day the officer was left with little to no choice. No outrage over this police shooting.
It tears me up that I feel compelled to watch videos of kids being shot and killed by police in order to learn what the police did wrong this time. In this case, however, I don't know what the police could have done differently. I feel for all parties, the officer that had to make that call, the dead girl that no doubt lived a hard and shitty life, and that broken, messed up family. ------------------------------ Out of respect, I'm not @ 'ing anyone in this thread. But someone's commentary has been straight up twisted as of late and I hope this poster will think about talking to someone. You know who you are.
Hopefully the story behind what drove the girl to attempt to stab another woman (or two) will help clarify why she went into a rage against both or potentially more people if the police hadn't shown up when they did. This is always a sad thing to see, regardless of ethnicity or background.
This is what I can pull from the police dash cam: The officer pulls up, jumps out and runs toward the scene. The girl in pink is standing near the car. One girl running from the girl with the knife falls backward and gets kicked the guy on the right of the frame. This happens as the cop is running up to the scene. As the cop is yelling "Get Back" he sees the girl has a knife. He pulls out his gun while screaming "Get Back". You see the girl with the knife turn and take 3 steps toward the girl in pink with the knife out as you can see above. The cop fires 4 shots at the girl which hit and kill her. This all happened in approx 7 seconds.
