On April 20, 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant was fatally shot by Ohio, Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon. The capturing has led to protests in Ohio and sparked nationwide outrage. The teenager’s funeral procession — held within the metropolis of Columbus — has prompted extra requires change to policing.
On Friday (April 30), funeral companies had been held for the Black teen on the First Church of God in Columbus. She was a highschool honor roll pupil and a “candy youngster,” in accordance with Paula Bryant, Ma’Khia’s aunt.
Bryant was fatally shot exterior of the foster residence she lived in, after Reardon responded to a 911 dispatch name. Officers had been dispatched after receiving a name of an tried stabbing within the 3100 block of Legion Lane. Paula Bryant mentioned Ma’Khia referred to as police as a result of women had been exterior of the home combating. Physique digicam footage reveals Reardon approaching the driveway the place the struggle befell, earlier than yelling “Get down.” 4 photographs had been fired at Bryant.
Breonna Taylor’s mom, Tamika Palmer, was in attendance on the funeral and obtained a standing ovation.
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Throughout companies, which lasted greater than 90 minutes, Bishop Clarke passionately delivered a eulogy towards the top.
“We’ll convey Ma’Khia again when police coaching modifications,” Clark mentioned. “We’ll get Ma’Khia again once we worth each other and once we respect each other. We’ll get Ma’Khia again once we study to work collectively. Ma’Khia is value grieving. She is value lacking. She is value crying over. She is value it.”
Additionally in attendance for the funeral was the late Breonna Taylor’s mom, who misplaced her life as a consequence of a wrongfully-done Louisville police raid in 2020, Columbus Metropolis Council member Priscilla Tyson and by request of the church, Columbus police.
The necessity for change was evident all through the service and avoiding such a proceedings to reoccur.
“We don’t have to lose any extra of our infants,” minister Susan Smith of Columbus mentioned. “Not one other child on this metropolis, not one other child in our group.”
The household’s legal professional will launch his personal investigation for the teenager’s dying, stating “[city] forms ill-equipped to guard.”
