White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the Ohio police shooting at a teenage girl who was apparently wielding a knife “tragic” and said it would encourage the White House to continue “systemic racism”.
“Let me just say, since you gave me the opportunity, the murder of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant by Columbus police is tragic. She was a child,” Psaki said. “We know that police violence affects black and Latino people and communities excessively and that black women and girls like black men and boys experience a higher percentage of police violence.”
“We also know that there are especially vulnerabilities that children in foster care like Ma’Khia face,” Psaki added.
She said President Biden had been informed of the situation.
The White House has shown a strong tone in light of the Derek Chauvin ruling and renewed protests against police brutality across the country. Psaki did not mention that the girl appeared to be attacking another with a knife.
The body material showed a young girl attacking several people with a knife in Columbus, at one point a police officer fatally shot her. (Columbus Police Department)
(Columbus Police Department)
COLUMBUS SHOOTING: VISITORS AT POLICE HEAD Quarters after teenagers shot by officer
“Her death came, as you noted, just as America is hopeful on a step forward after the traumatic and exhausting trial of Derek Chauvin and the verdict reached. Our focus is therefore on addressing systemic racism and implicit prejudice. of course to pass laws and legislation that will place much-needed reforms in the police departments across the country, ”she continued.
Police were called to the scene in a home in Columbus, Ohio, around 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, on a report from someone trying to stab others.
Once the police pulled up, a young female could be seen tackling another female on the ground with a knife in her hand. The girl can then be seen picking up on another woman in the area who was pinned between a car while lifting the apparent knife in the air. The officer involved fired four shots that fatally injured Bryant.
A man immediately yells at the officer, ‘You don’t have to shoot her! She’s just a kid, man! ‘
The officer replied, ‘She had a knife. She just went to her. ‘
OHIO POLICE SHOOTING: MA-KHIA BRYANT’S MOTHER SAYS ‘IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN’
Andrew Ginther, mayor of Columbus, mourns the loss of the young victim, but defends the use of the officer with deadly force.
“We know based on this footage, the officer acted to protect another young girl in our community,” he told reporters. ‘But a family is mourning tonight and this young [16-year-old] girl will never come home. ‘
It is unclear if anyone else was injured during the attack. The officer involved in the fatal shooting was removed from the streets due to an investigation into the shooting.
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“It should never have happened,” the teenager’s mother, Paula Bryant, told 10TV as a tear streamed down her face. “She’s a loving girl.” The teenager’s family said she called police and picked up a knife to defend herself in a neighborhood fight.
Protesters gathered near the scene of the shooting on Tuesday night. Many people were seen passing police baskets outside the headquarters while the same footage from the camera appeared.
Hymns of “Black Women Matter,” “Black Girls Matter,” and “Say Her Name!” sounded from the crowd.
Fox Best, Paul Best, contributed to this report.