WASHINGTON – A police officer shot dead a 16-year-old black girl in Columbus, the US state of Ohio, and protesters began gathering outside the city’s police building, Sputnik quoted a local 10TV report.
The police were called to the scene of the incident yesterday evening due to order violations. According to the family of the killed Makhia Bryant, she called the police for help because of a fight between girls near her house.
Bryant reportedly died in hospital where she was taken in a critical condition.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said on Twitter: “This afternoon a young woman tragically lost her life. We do not know all the details. There is body-worn camera footage of the incident. We are working to review it as soon as possible.
“BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) is on the scene conducting an independent investigation as they do with all CPD (Columbus Division of Police)-involved shootings. We will share information that we can as soon as it becomes available. I’m asking for residents to remain calm and allow BCI to gather the facts.”
This incident happened around the same time the guilty verdict was announced in Minneapolis for the ex-policeman who killed African-American George Floyd.
Earlier in the day, a US jury in the state of Minnesota found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in connection to Floyd’s death last May. – Bernama, April 21, 2021
