OHIO – Police fatally shot a 16-year-old teenager Tuesday afternoon in Columbus, just as the verdict was announced in the George Floyd murder trial.
Police showed images from a body camera Tuesday night at a press conference in which the officer shot the teenager as she appeared to be trying to stab two people with a knife.
A stab that resembles a kitchen knife or steak knife appeared to be lying on the sidewalk next to her immediately after the teen fell.
State law allows police to use deadly force to protect themselves or others. Body camera footage released by Columbus police shows the moment the officer opened fire on a 16-year-old girl and killed her. Acting Police Chief Michael Woods said the video shows the officer acted to save the life of another girl.
Officers had responded to an attempted stabbing when police shot the teenager around 4:45 p.m., police said. The person who called 911 reported that a woman was trying to stab them before hanging up, they said.
The teenager was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. No one else was injured, police said.
“This afternoon a young woman tragically lost her life,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther tweeted.
She later told the press conference: “We know from these images that the officer took steps to protect another girl in our community.”
Police who answered the department’s phone and officers at the scene were unable to immediately provide details.
A crowd had gathered Tuesday night at the Legion Lane site, which police had partially blocked from traffic. Others gathered at the city’s police headquarters to protest, a week after officers pepper-sprayed a group trying to enter the headquarters for the police murder of a man who had a gun in the conference room. hospital emergencies.
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Hundreds of protesters pushed through police barriers outside the headquarters and approached officers as city officials showed video from the body camera inside. Many chanted, “Say his name!” While others indicated the victim’s age by yelling, “she was just a girl.” Officers with bicycles pushed the protesters back and threatened to pepper the crowd.
The family said the teenager’s name was Makiyah Bryant.
The shooting occurred about 25 minutes before a judge read the verdict convicting former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s murder.
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Kimberly Shepherd, 50, who has lived in the neighborhood for 17 years, said she knew the victim.
“The neighborhood has definitely gone through its changes, but nothing like this,” Shepherd said of the shooting. “But this is the worst that has happened here and, unfortunately, it is in the hands of the police.”
Shepherd and his neighbor Jayme Jones, 51, had celebrated Chauvin’s guilty verdict. But things changed quickly, he said.
“We were happy with the verdict. But you couldn’t even enjoy that, “Shepherd said.” Because when you get a phone call that says he’s guilty, I’ll get the next phone call that this is happening in my neighborhood. ”