Democrat Val Demings Defends Cop Who Shot Ma Khia Bryant, Citing Experience as Police Officer
On 4/25/21 at 3:52 PM EDT
Representative Val Demings, a Florida Democrat, defended the cop who shot and killed Ma Khia Bryant, a Black teenager, in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday citing her own personal experience working as a police officer.
Bryant, who was 16 years old, was killed by officer Nicholas Reardon outside her home on Tuesday afternoon. Body camera footage released by police appear to show Bryant lunging at multiple individuals while holding a knife before she was fatally shot by Reardon. The officer fired his gun several times as Bryant struggled with another girl against a car.
Boy, 6, dies after shooting in Ohio hotel room wlwt.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wlwt.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Updated: 5:21 PM EDT April 23, 2021
COLUMBUS, Ohio Ned Pettus Jr., the director for the Columbus Department of Public Safety, spoke about the fatal Columbus police shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant in a YouTube video on Friday.
Bryant was shot by Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon on Tuesday.
Bodycam video appears to show Bryant attempting to stab a woman with a knife before Reardon shoots her.
In the YouTube video, Pettus called the shooting an unspeakable tragedy for everyone involved.
While he said the investigation is focused on finding the facts of the shooting, Pettus said the community has to focus on the feelings and pain brought on by Bryant’s death.
Some choose to heal during memorial gathering for Ma Khia Bryant at city hall
Ma Khia Bryant s death has ignited the conversation for change amongst many organizations that were at Columbus City Hall Friday. Author: Richard Solomon (WBNS) Updated: 11:26 PM EDT April 23, 2021
COLUMBUS, Ohio This week people have been expressing their pain behind the death of Ma’Khia Bryant through protests and gatherings.
People did just that at Columbus City Hall Friday night to express another emotion.
“We’re going to uplift and encourage and foster the environment of healing. We’ve been through so much and so many of us are traumatized,” said Kiara Yakita, with the Black Liberation Movement of Central Ohio.