Columbus police release bodycam footage of officer’s fatal shooting of teen girl
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Columbus police on Tuesday night released bodycam footage showing an officer’s fatal shooting of a 15-year-old girl earlier in the day.
The truncated video begins at the moment the officer exits his vehicle and then encounters the teen who appears to be armed with a knife chasing a girl outside of a home.
The girl who was being chased falls on the lawn in front of the cop. The officer screams at the alleged stabbing suspect to “get down,” before the teen targets another girl on the hood of a car, the video shows.
As the teen swings the apparent weapon toward the second girl, the officer fires several shots at the alleged suspect, striking her.
Police have said they were called to the home at about 4:45 p.m. for a call of an attempted stabbing.
After the gunfire, two adults remained outside. “She’s a f—ing kid, man,” one of them can be heard telling the officer.
A black-handled blade resembling a kitchen knife can be seen in the video lying on the sidewalk next to the girl.
Police have not identified the teen, but family members told 10TV she was Makiah Bryant.
Bryant’s aunt told The Columbus Dispatch that Bryant lived on the block at a foster home.
The shooting, which occurred less than an hour before Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, sparked protests in the city.
The officer who fired the fatal shoots has not been identified. But he has been taken off the streets pending an investigation, Interim Chief of Police Michael Woods said at a Tuesday night press briefing.
It was not immediately clear if the two other girls who were being attacked were injured.
Woods said that in interest of transparency, the department moved quickly to release at least a portion of the bodycam footage.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther also addressed the media Tuesday night, where he appeared visibly shaken.
“It’s a tragic day in the city of Columbus. Horrible, heartbreaking situation,” he said.
“The city of Columbus lost a 15-year-old girl today.”
“Based on this footage, the officer took action to protect another young girl in our community.”
“But a family is grieving tonight. And this young 15-year-old girl will never be coming home.”
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting an independent probe of the shooting, the mayor said.
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