Ohio Police Fatally Shoot a Black Teenage Girl Who Cops Say Was Holding a Knife and Release Bodycam Video

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The shooting happened about 30 minutes before the guilty verdict was announced for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd, according to CNN.

A Columbus, Ohio, police officer shot and killed a Black teenager after she attempted to cut two females with a knife, according to officials and body camera footage shown to the media, CNN reported.

Interim police chief Michael Woods said at a press conference that it is unusual to have video released so quickly but "we understand the public's need, desire and expectation to have transparency,” CBS News reported.

The girl's mother, Paula Bryant, and the Franklin County Children services identified the young woman as 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. The family told CBS Columbus affiliate WBNS-TV that Bryant was the one who called the police for help, saying people were fighting outside her house. 

At Tuesday’s press conference police could not confirm who called 911. Police and city officials referred to the victim as a 15-year-old throughout the conference, CBS News reported. 

According to Woods, police received a call around 4:30 p.m. indicating “females were there trying to put their hands on them.” Video of the shooting was then played, and appeared to show the shooting victim attacking two other people with what appeared to be a knife. The officer fired his weapon several times while Bryant and another girl were struggling against the side of a parked car. It was unclear what led to the altercation, which was already in progress when the officers arrived, CBS News reported. 

The officers, including the one who shot Bryant, were not identified. One of the officers attended to the shooting victim. Woods said that officers assessed the girl for injuries and medics were called right away, as protocol. CPR was administrated, although that was not shown in the short video, CBS reported.

Police did not have any information on whether the two other individuals were injured, Woods said, CNN reported.

"This is a tragedy for all involved, but especially the family of the female," Woods said after the video was shown, CBS reported. 

The officer who killed Bryant will be “taken off the street while an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office takes place,  Woods said, CNN reported.

When the BCI has finished its investigation, "the divisional police will conduct an administrative review of the actions of this officer and all officers at the scene," Woods said. Woods also so said a decision on whether the officer violated any policy will come after the criminal investigation is complete, according to CBS.

The shooting happened about 30 minutes before the guilty verdict was announced for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd, according to CNN.

A visibly distraught Bryant told WBNS-TV that she was “very upset,” and “wants answers.”

"My daughter dispatched Columbus police for protection, not to be a homicide today," Bryant said.

She told the news outlet that her daughter was staying at a foster home. And, the last time they saw each other was on Thursday. She said her daughter said to her, 'Mommy, I made honor roll.' She said 'Mommy, I'm looking forward to coming home,’” Bryant said, according to CNN.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther called the shooting a "horrible, heartbreaking situation" and Tuesday’s press conference, according to a report. ”We know from this footage that the officer took action to protect another young girl in the community,” Ginther said. “But a family is grieving tonight and this young 15-year-old girl will never be coming home."

*This is a developing story.

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