Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James posted a series of tweets Wednesday afternoon explaining why he deleted a tweet in response to the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old black girl Ma’Khia Bryant from Columbus, Ohio.
ANGRY is good for any of us and that includes me! Gathering all the facts and educating do it anyway! My anger is still here over what happened to that lil girl. My sympathy for her family and justice prevail! 🙏🏾✊🏾🤎👑
– LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021
I’m so tired of seeing black people killed by the police. I tweeted because it’s used to create more hatred – It’s not about one officer. it is about the whole system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more RESPONSIBILITY
– LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021
James’ tweet, since it was deleted, on Wednesday featured a white photo of Officer Nicholas Reardon with an accompanying caption, “YOU ARE NEXT # RESPONSABILITY” along with an hourglass emoji.
Camera images released by the Columbus Police Division showed the officer, identified as Reardon on Wednesday, getting out of his car into a house where police had been sent after someone called 911 saying they were physically threatened.
As the officer walks towards a group of people in the alley, Bryant can be seen brandishing a wild knife at another girl or woman, who falls back. The officer screamed several times to sink. Bryant then accuses another girl or woman of being caught in a car.
A few feet away, with men on both sides, the officer fires four shots and Bryant falls to the ground. The knife is on the sidewalk next to it.
Bryant was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said. Police did not say if anyone else was injured.
James’ hometown, Akron, Ohio, is about 200 miles northeast of Columbus, the state capital.
The Bryant shooting came shortly after a Minneapolis jury found Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of two counts of murder and one count of murder for George Floyd’s deposition in May 2020 outside a store.
James responded to Chauvin’s verdict with one word: “Responsibility.”
James’ teammate, Los Angeles Lakers striker Anthony Davis, said Los Angeles had not yet discussed the outcome of the trial as a team, but offered his personal thoughts on the outcome.
“I think many people in the world are happy with the verdict and can only give peace to that family, [y] peace of mind, “Davis said Wednesday.” I think it was a first step for justice … I think it was a good day, just for the world, to be able to do justice because you see so many times where it is not happening “.