Police Shoot 16-Year-Old Girl In Columbus, Protests Erupt

COLUMBUS, OH — A 16-year-old girl died after being shot by police in Columbus on Tuesday night.

Ma'Khia Bryant, 16, was shot at 4:30 p.m. Officers were investigating reports of an attempted stabbing and saw Bryant swinging a knife at another girl, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Police fired their weapons at Bryant, News 5 reported. The girl was then taken to a hospital in critical condition. She was pronounced dead at 5:30 p.m.

Bryant's death came moments before a jury in Minneapolis returned a guilty verdict against former police officer Derek Chauvin, who was accused of murdering George Floyd.

Protests began almost immediately in Columbus following Bryant's death. Crowds gathered downtown and massed at the Ohio Statehouse.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther reported that the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is reviewing body-camera footage of the incident. He urged Columbus residents to remain calm as the shooting is reviewed.

On Tuesday evening, Ginter and Columbus police released parts of the body-camera footage to the public.

"It's a tragic day in the city of Columbus. It's a horrible, heartbreaking situation," Ginther said. "Sharing the body worn camera footage — while incomplete — was critical. We will share more footage as it becomes available."