The official Black Lives Matter organization released a statement on Friday defending 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant after she was shot by Columbus Police while attempting to stab a black girl during an altercation.
"At the exact same time the verdict of Derek Chauvin was being read for murdering George Floyd, police wasted no time in senselessly taking another Black child. Ma’Khia Bryant. We say her name. Ma’Khia Bryant called the police for help," BLM said. "Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon showed up and shot this 16-year-old child point-blank within a matter of seconds. Another Black life stolen with no regard."
"Together, we’re going to uplift, center, and honor this Black child for what she loved — doing her hair, making TikToks, and being a teenager. Her account is currently deactivated, but we’ve compiled a few of her TikToks on social media so we can all remember her joy. Ma’Khia Bryant’s life mattered," the statement concluded.
As previously stated, BLM did not include the fact the officer who arrived on the scene shot Bryant because she was about to stab someone else and did not listen to police commands to get on the ground.
A neighbor's security camera from across the street showed no physical fighting was happening when the officer first arrived on the scene. Bryant then fights a couple of people while screaming "I'm going to stab the f**k out of you, b***h!"
BREAKING!
— SCUBA MIKE?? (@scuba2024) April 22, 2021
Neighbors security camera shows Columbus cop had NO CHOICE but to shoot! pic.twitter.com/OIORidEiS2
Footage from another body camera shows an officer escorting the girl who was about to be stabbed by Bryant away from the scene.
"She f***ing came at me with a knife," the girl said.
"She came at you with a knife earlier?" the officer asked.
"She just did. That is why the police did it. She came after me," she replied.
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