Celebrities took to social media following the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant on Tuesday.
Police fatally shot Bryant on Tuesday while she was wielding a knife outside of her foster home in Columbus, Ohio, The New York Times reported. Early reports claimed Bryant had been unarmed at the time of the shooting, but video footage released showed a knife in her possession.
Beyonce shared a statement on her website. (RELATED: Media Ran With Early Reports Of The Columbus Shooting Only To Be Wrong)
“We mourn the young life of Ma’Khia Bryant,” her statement said.
Many other celebrities shared a photo circulating the internet of Bryant along with their thoughts. Musician Justin Bieber shared a tribute on his Instagram.
“Seems so unreal but this is the world we are living in,” Bieber wrote. “It saddens me that this has become such a normal thing. This is so far from normal and not protocol.”
“Ma’Khia Bryant,” actress Zendaya wrote alongside a photo of Bryant. “I don’t have the words for this one.”
Musician Kehlani called for the abolition of the police.
“[T]here is no ‘changing’ the police,” she wrote on Instagram. “[T]here is no adjusting a murderous system. [T]he only answer has always been and will ALWAYS be to ABOLISH the police. [W]hen the response to abolishment was, ‘well who are you going to call now?’ HERES [sic] YOUR ANSWER. Ma’Khia Bryant called for help.”
Kehlani seemingly referenced reports that Bryant herself had called 911 for help before police showed up at the scene of the altercation.
Gabrielle Union said she didn’t feel “peace” after former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin was convicted for the murder of George Floyd because of Bryant’s death.
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“I don’t feel peace and we didn’t get justice,” Union wrote. “I want everyone to see this babygirl. See her joy. See her life force. She should be here with us. There is no excuse. Rest in eternal peace babygirl. We will continue to say your name and fight for real justice and the hope to one day know peace.”
However, CNN’s Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo seemingly defended the actions of the police officer Wednesday.
“You have to make a decision,” Lemon said, as previously reported. “Is one life on that scene more valuable than another?”
“And if someone is trying to take a life on that scene, do you protect the life of the person trying to take the life or do you protect the life of the person whose life is an imminent danger at that moment,” he continued.