Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Ma’Khia Bryant, a Black 16-year-old girl, is dead after being shot by a Columbus Police officer in southeast Columbus Tuesday afternoon — at about the same time Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict was announced.
Columbus Police received a call about a disturbance at 4:32 p.m. and officers arrived at the scene at 4:44 p.m. to 3171 Legion Lane near Chatterton Road in Southeast Columbus, Michael Woods, interim chief of police for Columbus Police, said in a press conference late Tuesday night. Franklin County Children Services confirmed Bryant’s name and age in a press release late Tuesday.
Police dispatch said officers responded to a 911 call from a woman who said another female was trying to stab her, but the caller hung up soon after.
At the press conference, police showed a shortened video of body camera footage showing an officer — whose name has not yet been released — exiting his vehicle and approaching a group of people. In the video, Bryant appears to raise a knife to two females, pushing one on the ground and the other against a car. The video ended shortly after the officer fired what appeared to be four shots at Bryant.
A longer version of the body camera footage will be released Wednesday after police have completed the public records process.
Woods said it is lawful for officers to use deadly force to protect themselves and others. He said whether or not this case complies with the law is still under investigation.
Woods said the officer will be taken “off the street” until the investigation is completed and will later go to the Franklin County Grand Jury and prosecutor’s office.
All faces of minors aside from Bryant were blurred in the initial release of the video.
Updated Wednesday, 3:10 p.m. to include the name and age of Ma’Khia Bryant.
Updated Wednesday, 12:00 a.m. to include information from the press conference.
