Despite Release Of Bodycam Footage, The Death Of Makiyah Bryant Was Avoidable!

By Ty Ross

A portion of the bodycam footage showing the shooting of 15 year old, Makiyah Bryant by Columbus police has revealed the teen had a knife aimed at another girl during an ensuing altercation before police arrival.

The Mayor of Columbus has made a statement that according to the video, the officer acted within policy. Quickly after arriving at the scene, footage captured what appears to be Bryant fighting two other girls and brandishing a weapon. There is no information yet as to the identity of the two girls, why they were at the victim’s home or why they were fighting to begin with.

I have seen people using the term ‘murder’. That Bryant was trying to murder those girls. That sets a dangerous narrative when we still have many questions about the case. Why were those girls at her home to begin with? Was she simply trying to protect herself? If we were to take a page out of the Zimmerman playbook, those girls were unwanted on her property and Makiyah Bryant had every right to protect herself. But it isn’t being seen that way. Now had the incident been in a store parking lot, at a business or somewhere away from the victim’s own residence, there would be more ambiguity, and more questions. But it wasn’t. It was on private property. It has been reported that Makiyah and at least one of the other girls were residents of the same foster home, but no word on the other girl.

According to Columbus police, no witness statements or interviews were taken at the time so a lot of those questions, at least for now, have gone unanswered.

This is a terribly tragic situation. One that ended in the death of a teenager. A death I believe could’ve been avoided. Officers train for a variety of situations where their, or others, lives could be in danger. Including suspects who have weapons of all kinds, as well as if and when they resist arrest. Deadly force, while I understand is necessary at times, I don’t believe in this case that death was the only solution.

I don’t take this situation lightly. I do not dismiss the gravity of the situation either. I am not saying this simply because Bryant was a teenager, was black or that I hate law enforcement. I am saying her death was avoidable, because I have seen time and again situations where law enforcement has acted within the bounds of their duties without the result being the death of a suspect. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

August 2020 – There were reports of a drunk man with a knife on Lee Highway. He was tased by the officers when not-complying, and when that didn’t work he was tased again. The man was apprehended and arrested.

June 2020 – A North Hollywood, CA man barricaded himself inside a home after shooting and injuring a police officer. After a four hour standoff, the man considered to be armed and dangerous, was taken into custody unharmed.

February 2020 – 25 year old Roger Hedgpeth of Florida was armed with a 3.5in knife while telling Secret Service he was there to kill then President Trump. An empty gun holster was on his hip as well. He was taken into custody unharmed.

August 2020 – Benjamin Murdy of Hartford was wanted for shooting a neighbor and killing a dog. Murdy fired more than 200 rounds at police officers. Not a single round was fired back at Murdy by officers. He was eventually taken into custody unharmed after a 90 minute standoff. Murdy was no stranger to local law enforcement who have said that he had multiple restraining orders out on him already.

August 2019 – An Arkansas woman, Jerri Kelly (who is white), pulled a gun on 4 African-American boys selling cards to raise money for their football team. Two of the boys were wearing their school jerseys. She reported them to police as ‘suspicious’. According to a long-time resident of the neighborhood, teens are frequently seen in the area raising money during football season. It isn’t unusual.

When police arrived at the scene, Kelly was seen holding the boys at gunpoint while they lay on the ground. Police didn’t tase, assault, or arrest her. It would be 5 days before she was taken into custody for the incident.

August 2019 – Teenager Matthew Bernard was suspected of triple murder when he fled the police. He was previously armed with a rifle. As he ran towards the officers, they distanced themselves. He in turn began chasing them. It wasn’t until he attacked an innocent bystander who was sitting in a truck that he was eventually arrested. There was no lethal or excessive force used, despite his attack on the officers and being a murder suspect. He was taken into custody without incident.

June 2020 – A Madison man was seen wielding a knife while threatening people in the downtown area. He attempted to run from police, and when apprehended had both a knife and a pair of scissors in his possession.

May 2020 – An Oceanside man who pulled a knife and threatened officers, was shot and wounded with rounds from a less-lethal shotgun. Officers then wrestled the suspect to the ground and arrested him.

Now these are just a few examples of dozens more, where a suspect was armed or considered violent, yet the police managed to either de-escalate or subdue the suspects with tasing, wounding, killing and in some cases no force at all.

This is about more than Makiyah Bryant. Those who are saying the officer was in the right because she had a knife, are missing the entire point. Lots of suspects in 911 calls have all types of weapons, but it is the officers who are supposed to be trained to deal with these cases in a way that results in as little force as possible. The objective should be to take the suspect in alive and let the justice system do its job. But when it comes to people of color, particularly black people, benefit of the doubt is rarely given. Shoot first has become the norm, and that is what is wrong.

The term is police officer, not police judge, police jury or police executioner. Police don’t get to decide whose life is and isn’t worth living. But unfortunately, in cases like that of young Makiyah Bryant, the officer did indeed make that choice.

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