Ma'Khia Bryant: Protests, Questions In Wake Of Shooting

COLUMBUS, OH — Police body-camera footage of Ma'Khia Bryant shows her charging at two people with a knife prior to being shot by a Columbus police officer, but her family questions the circumstances leading up to that moment.

Bryant was 16 and in foster care with Franklin County Children's Services at the time of her death. Her grandmother, Debra Wilcox, described her as a shy and quiet girl, who liked making hair and dance videos on TikTok.

“The fact that I see what I saw on that video is not how I know my Ma'Khia,” Wilcox told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “I don't know what happened there unless she was fearful for her life.”

Bryant's death set off protests and public debate about the use-of-force tactics by police. The shooting happened moments before a verdict was announced in the Derek Chauvin trial, adding fuel to a simmering fire.

Protesters gathered outside of the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Vigils were held throughout the city, honoring Bryant's life.

“It’s a tragedy. There’s no other way to say it. It’s a 16-year-old. I’m a father,” Interim Columbus Police Chief Michael Woods told reporters Wednesday. “Her family is grieving. Regardless of the circumstances associated with this, a 16-year-old lost her life yesterday.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the Columbus shooting “tragic." Gov. Mike DeWine echoed Psaki's comments, but also asked Ohioans to let the investigation into the shooting play out.

Police announced that they were called to the home where Bryant was after someone reported they were being attacked and threatened. It's not yet clear who called the police.

When police arrive, based on the body-camera footage, a scrum of people is seen in a driveway. Bryant then charges into frame waving a knife at another person. Bryant's target falls backwards, and then police shout for Bryant to get down.

Bryant then rushes toward another person, who is near a car, and an officer fires four shots at the 16-year-old. Bryant collapses. A blade can be seen next to her in the video footage.

A man immediately yells at the officer, “You didn’t have to shoot her! She’s just a kid, man!”

The officer responds, “She had a knife. She just went at her.”

Columbus Police have identified the officer who shot Bryant as Nicholas Reardon. The officer was hired by the force in December 2019.

Neighbors began filming after Bryant was shot, recording footage of police cordoning off the area and performing CPR on the 16-year-old. Bystanders can be heard shouting at officers, telling them they did not need to shoot the teenager.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is now looking into the shooting.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this report.