Celebrities are reacting to the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old, Ma’Khia Bryant. Police in Columbus, Ohio, released bodycam video Tuesday night of the fatal shooting and released additional footage and two 911 calls in a press conference on Wednesday, citing “the public’s need, desire and expectation to have transparency.”
News of the police shooting broke shortly after Derek Chauvin was convicted for George Floyd’s death, prompting a swift reaction from celebrities who believed that Chauvin’s conviction was a step forward for justice in Minnesota and in similar cases across the country.
A slowed-down version of body camera footage appears to show Bryant attacking two other people, lunging at one with something in her hand, just after an officer arrived. The officer, identified by Woods as Nicholas Reardon, fired his weapon several times while Bryant and another girl were struggling against the side of a parked car. A knife could be seen next to Bryant’s body after the shooting.
Woods said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. Reardon has been “taken off the street” while the criminal investigation is ongoing.
Columbus Mayor, Andrew Ginther called Tuesday a “tragic day” in the city, assuring citizens that more body cam footage will be shared once available.
It's a tragic day in the city of Columbus. It's a horrible, heartbreaking situation. Sharing the body worn camera footage — while incomplete — was critical. We will share more footage as it becomes available. https://t.co/sae7c2SsuP
Beyoncé called for action on her website, writing, “We mourn the young life of Ma’Khia Bryant,” under a photo of the 16-year-old. Justin Timberlake took to Twitter, urging people to “Say her name, #MaKhiaBryant,” as the fight for justice continues.
Read on for more celebrity tributes.
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& my heart rips again. Ma'Khia Bryant was a child. A child. A child.
16 year old Ma’Khia Bryant murdered by police in Columbus Ohio. This is beyond sad.
There was absolutely no time between celebrating the conviction of Derek Chauvin & having to mourn Ma’Khia Bryant… This is really numbing !!!
It’s really scary raising black children in this country. No matter how much we prepare them for these police encounters they can still be killed.
We cannot have even a moment of justice before another Black life is taken by the police, this time a teen named Ma’khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio who had called them for help.
Instead, they shot her four times. We must end police terror.#BlackLivesMatter
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