NBA player LeBron James faced backlash on Wednesday for tweeting out a photo of the Columbus police officer who shot Ma’Khia Bryant in the middle of a knife attack, demanding accountability. As Rebecca reported, the tweet stayed up about an hour before James deleted it.
“YOU’RE NEXT,” the tweet said with a photo of the officer. “#ACCOUNTABILITY.”
Deleted pic.twitter.com/Xqoasasev4
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 21, 2021
Later in the evening James offered an explanation for why he deleted the tweet.
"I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police. I took the tweet down because its being used to create more hate -This isn’t about one officer," he said. "it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY."
I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police. I took the tweet down because its being used to create more hate -This isn’t about one officer. it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021
According to bodycam footage, the officer arrived on scene, responding to a disturbance call, and began asking those nearby what was happening. A few girls then come out of the house fighting.
"The officer takes a few steps toward a group of people in the driveway when the girl, who was Black, starts swinging a knife wildly at another girl or woman, who falls backward. The officer shouts several times to get down," Cleveland.com reports. "The girl with the knife then charges at another girl or woman who is pinned against a car." That's when the officer fired four shots. He immediately rendered first aid but Byrant died at a nearby hospital.