Police showed bodycam footage at a news conference of the officer shooting the girl, who was Black, as she lunged at two people with a knife.
A black-handled blade resembling a kitchen knife or steak knife appeared to be lying on the sidewalk next to her immediately after she fell.
A family member identified the victim as Ma’Khia Bryant; city officials declined to release her name. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and police officials said she was 15. Moreover, Franklin County Children’s Services confirmed that the girl killed was Ma’Khia Bryant, 16, and that she was in foster care.
Officers had responded to an attempted stabbing call when police shot the girl at about 4:45 pm. The girl was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.
“This afternoon a young woman tragically lost her life,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther tweeted.
This afternoon a young woman tragically lost her life. We do not know all of the details. There is body-worn camera footage of the incident. We are working to review it as soon as possible. BCI is on the scene conducting an independent investigation . . .
— Mayor Andrew Ginther (@MayorGinther) April 20, 2021
He later said at the news conference, “We know based on this footage the officer took action to protect another young girl in our community.”
Columbus police stressed that the Bureau of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the case, but the city wanted to release the body camera to give the public more information.
A crowd had gathered at the scene on Legion Lane, which police had partially blocked off to traffic. Others gathered at the city’s police headquarters to protest.
Hundreds of protesters pushed past police barriers outside the headquarters and approached officers as city officials were showing the bodycam video inside.
Many chanted, “Say her name!” While others signified the victim’s age by yelling, “She was just a kid.” Officers with bicycles pushed protesters back and threatened to deploy pepper spray on the crowd.
Protesters with Black Lives Matter signs, megaphones and a loudspeaker joined the crowd gathered behind crime scene tape about a half-block away from the shooting scene.