Ohio cop shot and killed Ma’Khia Bryant, …

Police Columbus, in the state of Ohio, United States, killed Ma’Khia Bryant, an African-American teenager from 16 years old. The event sparked further protests against racism and police violence just hours after former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, the crime that kicked off the Black movement Lives Matter.

According to city police chief Michael Woods, police received an emergency call Tuesday afternoon from a person who feared being attacked with a knife. Security forces have video of the camera that the policeman who killed the young woman was wearing on the uniform and who was removed from his post during the investigation of the incident. According to Woods, the video shows Bryant with a knife as he pushes two other girls he allegedly tried to stab.

Tuesday evening at a press conference, police showed video in which you see how the policeman comes out of the patrol and approaches a group of girls. A few seconds later, Bryant pushes a girl and throws her to the ground. Then he approaches another young woman whom he also pushes against a parked car.

Officer calls three times, pulls out gun, shoots Bryant at least four times and she falls to the ground. As the teenager’s body approaches, a knife can be seen near her. The officer told his colleagues that Bryant had the gun and was “about to attack” the second girl.

Woods explained that officers called an ambulance and began CPR on the teenager. The video ends at this point and Woods argued that the full and unmodified version will be posted later. “We thought it was important to share with the community, to be transparent about this incident,” said the Columbus police chief.

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to Conduct Independent Investigation, which according to local authorities is the same as every time an officer shoots someone.

Woods assured that Columbus Police Department policies allow officers to use “lethal force” to protect themselves or a third party, but did not say whether the police officer involved had violated the norms or rules on the use of force.

“Based on these footage, we know the officer acted to protect another young woman in our community, but there is a family who is in mourning tonight,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, calling what happened a “tragic day”.