Was Makhia Bryant's death justified?

Question

Makhia Bryant was killed by a police officer, who was responding to a call about someone attacking other people with a knife. In the bodycam footage you can clearly see Makhia doing just that, attacking someone with a knife. And the officer shot her in defense of the other girl she was attacking. If you think it was unjustified,
1. Why?
2. What should the cop have done instead? Just let her kill someone?

fjh80 · Accepted Answer

Because she was attacking with a knife, doesn't mean that the knife isn't a dangerous weapon. I just had to put that in here before I forgot about it.

Justified? Maybe it is the right word. I don't like it, and I don't want to use it, but it might be the right word.

When I see this situation, I can't get my head around what the girl was thinking. The closest I can think is that teenagers I've known through my life seem to think that when they're angry they can do what they want as though it's a get out of trouble card.
She was angry because people were at her house causing trouble and trying to fight her, or her family? Was there mention of a grandmother? Damn, I'd be enraged too.

If it was me, I'd call 911. I'd be throwing hands, or doing I had to do to protect my family until the police arrived. If they stopped their aggressive actions when the police arrived, I'd hope that I'd have the sense to stop too.
If the cop had just arrived, and I knocked on person down, and then charged at another with a knife... What would the cop think? I'd probably be shot too. I would have told you that even if we weren't talking about this story.

What did the cop know? A woman called 911. People were attacking? There was a knife?
Then he arrives, and before he has time to get control of the situation he see's a man kicking a woman in the head when she's on the ground. He see's a girl charging another with knife with the intent to stab her.
He's yelling "get down! get down!"
He's only about 10 seconds into this situation.

We can't assume that he knows the age of the girl with the knife. Even if he did, he STILL can't allow her to stab another person. The woman in pink was just standing there.

I'm sorry. It's a nightmare situation. It's ugly, but the cold hard truth is, the officer didn't have time to think. Even if he did, he didn't have a choice. He HAD to stop her from stabbing the other woman. It's the reason his job exists.

MCheetah · Accepted Answer

100%. If you're lunging at someone with a knife in the presence of armed police (especially if you're low IQ enough to believe the brainwashing of the mainstream media that being black in America makes you a shooting range target for all those evil cops out there), then 100% deserve to get shot. Possibly, maybe not killed, but Makhia Bryant is a Darwin Awards winner for sure, and I don't give a single baby mouse sh*t what race she was, as if that matters.

Remember when black people were getting shot and highlighted and they weren't straight-up criminals like this hood rat, Brionna Taylor, and one piece of trash who got shot last week? Are people so desperate for victim points they're making criminals and the lowlifes of society martyrs now? (Don't answer that; we already know the answer.)

Now I await for some retard to justify why a knife wielding hood rat attacking someone with a knife in police presence (too far for a stun gun to work) didn't deserve to get shot... The mental gymnastics ought to be pretty interesting to comprehend.

janellie1917 · Accepted Answer

After looking at the video, I do think if there was a situation where shooting would be an option, this was it. Would a taser be better? Yes, she’s a child. It should not take lethal effort to stop a child. Then again, he appeared to be too far and multiple medical and other professionals did say a taser may not have been enough and shooting not in the big central area could miss or potentially kill someone else.

NOW I do not think that she SHOULD have died. This is just a situation where I understand how this death came to be. She called the police and was a minor I do not think she should be dead today at all. I also just think this was one of mant ways it could have played out and it’s an understandable way. She was acting as a threat to someone else and the police have to respond to that. I think he responded appropriately but I’m also just not sure what the alternative would be.
In my mind, I was thinking he could have aimed for the buttock or shoulder or leg or just somewhere non lethal to stop her but not kill her. But from his distance that could be difficult and dangerous if he missed and shot the other girl which would be bad too.
It’s a very tragic situation that shouldn’t be taken lightly. I think it’s justified but police need a lot more work dealing with people in crisis. That is their whole job and to be honest if they cannot help a girl with a knife who is on edge because she got jumped, they should not be handling any crimes. I think there were other ways this could’ve gone.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

This is a 16 year old child, who was being jumped by 4 girls. She tried doing the right thing by calling the police herself and I am sure she was fearing for her life against this foster family. Am I justifying the use of a knife? No. But I also can’t imagine what was going through her mind and truly feel like she was protecting herself. If she wanted to stab someone for real, she would’ve done it before she called the cops. It wasn’t until someone (the woman in the pink) came from behind the cop, pulled her hair from the back and I believe the stab was a jerk-reaction. Anyway, this situation is devastating all around. 4 shots was excessive. The foster care system needs to do more to protect these kids rather than shipping them off to live in toxic environments for the sake of saying they put a roof over the kids head.

WhiteSteve · Answer

I can maybe chalk this one up to terrible timing, the cop had no time to sort things out, find out who was who, etc, he just saw a knife wielded and shot the person holding it. But my biggest question that I still haven’t gotten an answer to it that, as of earlier this month, Ohio is a “stand your ground” law state. Given that the other women showed up to instigate a fight with Bryant at the property she lives at, I’m not sure how that all works. And when your brain is in “fight or flight” mode as any of us would be in a violent situation, I know I personally wouldn’t even hear that a cop had showed up, let alone process any commands they attempted to give me. But stand your ground laws as I understand them allow you to apply lethal force to an attacker, so I’m really not sure about this one. I think there are possible racial components to this due to subconscious perception, but I don’t even want to get into that here and muddy the water, I’d rather just focus on the “stand your ground” aspect, because no one has answered that for me yet. She legally had no duty to retreat and is allowed to apply lethal force, as I understand it. So I don’t know why this is different from George Zimmerman, who harassed an unarmed teenager resulting in a physical altercation, or that Kyle Rittenhouse kid who drove across state lines, not even on his property, and defended himself against his attackers. I’d love that to be cleared up but when I’ve mentioned it I’ve been ignored or the question was dodged.

etexbearkat · Answer

Anyone who says the shooting is not justified does not know anything about police training. There's no question that it was. Ma'Khia Bryant went after a defenseless girl with a knife and was about to stab her. The shooting is absolutely justified. It's tragic she died, but she died because of her own actions. If the officer hadn't shot her, the other girl would have either been seriously injured or killed. There is no question deadly force was justified. The officer saved a girl from either being seriously injured or worse, dead.

My degree is in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and one of the classes you must take is called Police Systems and Practices. In that class, and in other classes, I learned when deadly force should be used, and there is no question about it, the use of deadly force here was justified to prevent someone from either being seriously wounded or dead.

The only I would have done differently in that situation is I would have said "Drop the knife or I will shoot!" The officer didn't have much choice but to shoot. He very likely prevented a murder.

TheTower · Answer

Justified, because the police officer are protecting the other girl who are being attacked. Sure there might be option of using taser but taser doesn’t mean 100% success since some person can take up to several shot to be put down. Not to mention even is she can be take down by single shot it doesn’t mean she just suddenly stand still like stone. Her body or arm might still move that can hurt the other person.

The other option that people recommend is tackling her down. That still need some second before the police officer can touch her for take down but by that time the other victim might be already receive slashes. Not to mention she is holding a knife aiming at other people live which mean she are intending for a kill. Play stupid game win stupid prize.

The distance between those two are to damn near. Don’t think warning shot or command from a police office will do a thing. The other option are shooting her leg but then again. Shooting moving leg are much more harder that huge body target. All that happened second or milliseconds. Take gamble on shooting leg but there a chance the shot missed and the girl died or just shoot her taking down her 100% who are holding knife.

Uannoyme · Answer

Police are trained to meet lethal force, whether to themselves or others, with lethal force. They are trained not to meet lethal force with less than lethal force. The goal is to neutralize the threat. The officer had no other choice. He couldn't just allow someone to be stabbed right in front of him. He had no idea of what had unfolded before he got there.

It's sad that a life was lost, but the officer did nothing wrong.

Roxxy99 · Answer

In this case... probably yes. I’ve certainly been critical of police when people of color are killed. Too often the victim is either unarmed or running away and it wasn’t justified and you have no choice but to assume a racial motive. We’ve all seen some horrendous video footage over the past few years. If you look at that picture though, the cop literally had seconds before being confronted with this. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume the woman in pink is under threat of death or great bodily harm. This is one case where I think cooler heads should prevail. I’m saddened that this happened to a beautiful 16-year old girl but she was the aggressor here and was using a deadly weapon. I just don’t see a jury deciding this was a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The video is going to support the police narrative.

Agape93 · Answer

Yeah I think it was. The cop had no further context. He was just told to go there because of someone with a knife, he arrives and sees someone with a knife trying to stab someone.

Tragic? Yes.
Justified? Yes.

Apope16 · Answer

I am black. I support Black LIves Matter. I work on BLM issues and racial justice as an activist in my community.

This shooting was justified. The cop needs an award for saving a black woman's life.

We as black people need to take accountability and teach our children appropriate conduct with officers. When I was a child we had the "talk" where we were taught not to resist arrest. Its basic. These shootings are happening because people are acting a fool. Some shootings are not justified but THEY put themselves in that situation. Your actions increase risk and the life and death possiblity.

ShaTTeredMasterpeace · Answer

Nope. Because I've seen the cops take down people with knives aimed at THEM without killing them. A child did not need to be shot 4 times in the chest. Not when there are tasers. Not when she has arms and legs and other body parts that could've taken a bullet and not killed her. Not when she was the one that called because ADULTS were trying to jump her. Nope. She was failed by everyone around her and when she called for help, she was failed by them too.

Rangers · Answer

Absolutely, just look at the photo. She's about 500 milliseconds from stabbing that woman in the jugular and killing her. Officers have an obligation to protect the innocent and he couldn't flip a coin by using a taser that's only 50% effective and even if it worked, it would've been too late. So he fired his service pistol and eliminated the threat, saving her life and God knows how many more lives he saved because y'all know she wasn't gonna stop. Anyone to attacks two people with a knife right in front of an officer isn't going to stop after killing one with the stab that you see coming right there.

A_Bell · Answer

Of course. So many real incidents of unjustified violence by police and the "activists" pick this one because they want the conflict, not answers. They want to justify their sick racial hatreds, not make things better.

VanillaSalt · Answer

I think this cop should pay with their life! Why? Simple. If more cops are hurt doing their job less people will be cops and I wanna see trash like this burn. It’s the shit cities that will burn. My small town treats their cops with respect and they get it back. We won’t have a black shooting until these fuckers flee from failing cities and come here...

KneeDragger · Answer

In my opinion the officer was 100% justified and he couldn't have done better if he was able to pass time a quarter-of-a-second at a time.

Just like the riots this summer, people want an excuse to steal stuff and burn buildings. However, it will stop at some time, I just don't know how it's going to happen.

BCA6010 · Answer

100% justified.

In fact, the situation is so ridiculously cut and dry that other cops on the outside looking in have pointed out how it would be an inappropriate example to use for police training because it's rarely such an easy call.

The best argument that could be made against it, would be that the angle of the shot would've risked hitting and killing the would-be stabbing victim.

Outofthegrey · Answer

While it is possible a tazer would have been a better option, I understand that in fight or flight life and death situations there is no black and white answer.

In the end, a police officer shot someone who had committed assault with a deadly weapon, and was believed to be about to commit battery or attempted murder. I feel like there is little more to consider in this scenario, the officer did their job.

Drumlin2001 · Answer

The officer arrives, sees her assault one person then lunge at a second with a knife in her hand. He had no choice but to act. Not sure if any non lethal options would have stopped her. The young woman in pink would likely be dead if the officer hadn't acted how he did

Ouidhaze · Answer

I think it’s not justified she was a kid in panic being attacked by adults children do not have logical reasoning and cops are trained to take down people with knives and have tasers he had multiple nonleathal options and chose to kill a child
If you are pro life the man thing y’all try to say is abortion is meant to kill black children and obviously so are the cops these days
This little girl was killed simply due to the fact that black people are seen as more dangerous by cops and other racist
If you think it’s justified your racist
No argument needed

The_Maphio · Answer

Unless you wanted the other girl dead, then yes.
And since the other girl didn't seem to be as a delinquent as that other one was, it's been an act of saving a person to eliminate a parasite. Two benefits in one simple pull of the trigger.
Give a medal to that man.

Hinata222 · Answer

Nope , he could've tazed her or tackled her or pointed a gun and said drop the weapon or we’ll shoot. She would have dropped it. If she would have charged at him with the nice then yea different story

JDavid25 · Answer

Just, she was about the stab another girl, and probably would have killed her or missed her up had the police not stepped in and saved the other girls life.. If she was angry enough to stab somebody with the police there then she would have probably stabbed the girl to death.. It was definitely justified.. Also can we talk about how the dad kicked one of the girls head in..

jshm2 · Answer

Why the hell are you gatekeeping this event?

Also, are you so small minded and illiterate that you don't understand the concept of a "warning shot" let alone a flesh wound?

By the officers own bodycam footage he saunters into the situation like he's collecting donuts. Not, attending a potential murder scene.

YesICan · Answer

Yes its justified, she attempted to kill someone. People only empathize with her because she is a 16 year old girl, like 16 is an innocent number. I've had my fair share of fights, i've been also jumped multiple times, even tho i always had a pocket knife on me just in case i never felt the need to actually pull it out and stab someone. I think that she knew what she was doing, im not buying into that " sweet innocent " crap that the media talks about one bit.

Anonymous · Answer

The only problem people have with this scenario is the officer's skin color. I've seen people whine and cry about cops using tasers, rubber bullets, batons, etc, as long as the cop is white.

So the solution is to keep white cops out of black situations and black neighborhoods. Let black cops handle it.

KatherineJ · Answer

Yes, I think the officer was justified. But it’s sad that he had to make that split second choice.

DiscomfortZone · Answer

Oh, poor policeman, I bet he was real scared! How about protecting the girl from her assailants without her having to resort to knives? How about controlling a suspect without smashing his airpipe with your knee? These fucking cops think they're above the laws of men and that shouldn't be accepted by people who aren't fucking morons.

RationalMale · Answer

1. Legally and in reality a knife is a deadly weapon, and a police officer going into a scene with deadly weapons is allowed to go straight to handgun instead of less lethal. So yes he is morally and legally justified in shooting.

2. He should have let her knife the girl. Per twitter, stabbings are part of black culture, why should White people interfere?

Pink6o6 · Answer

I don't think the officer had any other options. It's tragic and sad she died.

Pogi-Paddy-2 · Answer

Absolutely justified.
As a police officer you are sworn an oath to protect and serve. Therefore Makhia Bryant was advancing toward another person. You must realise that the officer had just pulled up to the scene as it unfolded right in front of him.

Don't get me wrong, there are so many examples of officers committing outright murder.

I don't believe that this said example falls into my original reply.☯️

NightOwl8801 · Answer

It was justified.
You are a police officer, you have to meet lethal force with lethal force. Less lethal with the same on down the use of force continuum.
What would you do if someone were trying to stab you , would you want an officer or good Samaritan to hesitate or act accordingly...

RCLJT · Answer

Being former military, not law enforcement, if I could have tased the suspect to stop the attack I would have, but if someone’s life was in immediate danger I would have used lethal force. it is very easy to watch a video and try to second guess or justify police actions but until you are in their shoes, in that role, with innocent lives to protect you cannot say there was no need for the suspect to be shot.

snowboarder720 · Answer

Why are the police so quick to shoot and kill this teen with a knife but apprehend mass shooters alive?

Anonymous · Answer

After all of the fuss about what the officer could have or should have done.
It would have been the best for him to stop at a donut shop on the way to the call. Then show up to do the paperwork and call the coroner!!
Instead of all of the videos, why didn’t one of those people stop the fight?

Jesus_is_the_guey · Answer

It was undoubtedly justified anybody who disagrees is an idiot. I bet if they were the person that was getting attacked they’d want the cop to drop them dead. It saved her life (the victim) it was effective and it was quick.

Anonymous · Answer

Isn't Ohio a stand your ground state. Seems like she was standing her ground.

They could rubber bullet her ass.

But I always say when you dial 911 it's usually because somebody dead or you want somebody dead.

Is it the cops fault no. It's the parents and thoose grown ass women. Fighting a 16 year old

NikolaiIvanov · Answer

Absolutely. Saved many lives that could've been ended by her.

whitehide · Answer

The officer could have used a taser, or a non-lethal round in his gun, like a rubber bullet or something. But from what I've seen, U. S. police officers seem to be paranoid children with lethal weapons, so that won't change any time soon.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Does it matter?
If the cop would not have shot - then the other girl would have gotten it.

Seeing how large the target is, it could have been better though, to shoot her in the arse.
But I wasn't there... shit happens.

Anonymous · Answer

No. Only a black cop would be justified in killing her in that situation.

A white cop would have been better off to just sit back and let it happen. Maybe he could just purposely shoot the car or something instead.

RedSauce · Answer

Perhaps not the death, an injuring or disabling shot would have sufficed, but the girl had it coming so can’t say I feel bad for her

RingOfFire · Answer

Of course it was justified!

The headline should have read:

"Hero Cop Saves Life of Black Woman!"

But of course the Democrats can't let truth get in the way of the phony "institutional racism" narrative.

NerdyEngineer · Answer

Yes, I have watched to videos. No one would have had time to do anything else without others getting hurt. Is it regretable? Hell ya. Unavoidable? Ya if your ok with more people getting hurt first. Justifiable/justified? Yes.

Miristheiss · Answer

Sure.  Why wouldn't a cop not shoot you if you are trying to stab people. Common sense.

Dontaaa · Answer

Justified. I could go on and on trying to explain but it's not like anyone is going to listen. Just argue amongst yourselves.

Grubhub · Answer

I’ve seen cops use pepper spray on Mexicans and white people. They use bullets on blacks. I’m gonna try to inquire if we can request non white cops to the scene. As a black man I don’t trust a white cops because my life depends on it.

exitseven · Answer

The cop should have shot the knife out of her hand. People do this all the time on television.

Anonymous · Answer

love how all these people say she should have been tazed or tackled. If someone’s coming at me or someone I love with a knife they’re getting shot lol.

Honesttguy · Answer

I think she wanted to die. Cus she saw police car and went for the kill.

chriscdi · Answer

thats justified in my country, and i like it that way, she tried to kill others, and i dont want my tax money paying for her meals in prison

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah. Even if he was someone just able to shoot her in the hand, because she's a minor they probably wouldn't have even given her any prison time and she'd be back at it again. This cop made the right call.

captain_voidwalker · Answer

If I was ghe girl bieng attacked with the knife I know I would have shot and killed my attacker. So I'm not going to fault the cop for doing the same thing.

Anonymous · Answer

If you’re trying to hurt someone else you lose whatever consideration for your rights you would have had. I’m sure the other girl is happy she didn’t get stabbed to death.

Celtero · Answer

Ah, let's see what some of the shitheads have to say.

KrakenAttackin · Answer

Absolutely. Have a chimpout while holding a knife , you forfeit your life.

UnknownUser01 · Answer

All I'm gonna say is , if someone is about to stab me , the cops have my blessing to shoot that person.

NoManTwo · Answer

If the cop stood there and did nothing, the girl in pink might be dead and the girl with the knife in prison for many years. Hopefully the girl in pink is a decent person worth saving.

MannySimms · Answer

Would you want her living next door to you? Good riddance...

JamieLoves · Answer

Hell Yes!! Get Fuck over it. She deserved to be Wacked , before she offed the other chick... Jesus !!! Enough with this Crap !

matthheww · Answer

The girl in the pink could of died if the officer didn’t shoot. You can see in the video she had a knife and was about to stab her.  I think the officer did the right thing.

hellacray · Answer

Yes it was justified.  I'm surprised people need to even question it.

Jack9949 · Answer

Of course it was. I find it ridiculous that a “sweet little girl” tries stabbing people with knives.

joeldalton · Answer

They're just kids having a good ole fashioned knife fight as kids do these days.

Was Makhia Bryant's death justified?

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Shouldn't Carolyn Bryant the woman responsible for the murder of Emmett till , should of been arrested?

Was Makhia Bryant's death justified?

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Shouldn't Carolyn Bryant the woman responsible for the murder of Emmett till , should of been arrested?

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