MaâKhia Bryantâs Journey Through Foster Care Ended With an Officerâs Bullet The 16-year-old girl was fatally shot while threatening a young woman with a knife. She had spent two years shuttling among Ohio foster homes, hoping to return to her mother. A memorial where MaâKhia Bryant was killed by a Columbus police officer. Her tragic death was preceded by a turbulent journey through the foster care system.Credit...Amr Alfiky/The New York Times May 8, 2021 COLUMBUS, Ohio â The voice on the 911 call is a teenage girlâs, and it is quavering, as if she has been crying.