According to reports, ‘NBC Nightly News’ is under fire for editing out a key part of the 911 call before the officer involved shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio.
In their report on the officer-involved shooting in Columbus, Ohio, NBC Nightly News deceptively edited the 911 call to leave out the part where the caller says a girl was “trying to stab us.” They also don’t show viewers the knife in the attacker’s hand just before the shots. pic.twitter.com/r5uXD1qDb1
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) April 22, 2021
Media Research Center news analyst Nicholas Fondacaro called out NBC News for editing out a portion of a frantic 911 call in which a woman is heard saying:
“It’s these grown girls over here trying to fight us, trying to stay us, get here now!”
He also stated that the police body-camera footage shown by NBC did not show viewers the knife in the attacker’s hand before the shots being fired.
However, FOX News stated that NBC anchor Lester Holt began the segment that evening by saying:
“A police officer shot and killed a 16-year-old black girl in Columbus, Ohio saying she was threatening others with a knife.”
Reportedly, throughout the segment, a still image from the body-camera footage showed a knife on the ground and a graphic at the bottom of the screen read:
“POLICE FATALLY SHOOT 16-YEAR-OLD BLACK GIRL HOLDING KNIFE.”
Fondacaro pointed out, however, that ABC’s “World News Tonight” and “CBS Evening News” both aired the portion of the 911 call that included the stabbing reference and both zoomed in on the footage showing more clearly that Bryant was holding a knife during the altercation.
‘NBC Nightly News’ under fire for editing out key part of 911 call before Ma’Khia Bryant shooting! @LesterHoltNBC Why would you edit the video? What kind of sick motive would you have? #DISHONESTYhttps://t.co/UcwU83bDRP
— Nick Bonomo (@Bonomogolf) April 22, 2021
“NBC Nightly News” was slammed on social media in light of the stark comparison with the program’s competitors. Daily Caller editor-in-chief Greggory Ingersoll wrote:
“Is this not to the level of actual malice at this point? The police officer is not a public person. The report leaves out key evidence in such a way as to imply deliberate deception.”
Washington Examiner reporter Jerry Dunleavy tweeted:
“Omitting a key fact like the knife being clearly visible in her hand as she swings it at the other girl is willfully & intentionally deceptive.”
FOX News reported that police released new information about the officer involved shooting on Wednesday, April 21st, including two 911 calls, the body-camera footage of the three officers who responding to the call, and identity of the officer who fatally shot Bryant.
The first 911 call came in at 4:32 p.m. The caller, who has not been identified by police, said amid a commotion in the background:
“(Indistinguishable) trying to fight us, trying to stab us, trying to put their hands on our grandma. Get here now.”
WH Defends Ma’Khia Bryant, Who Was Shot by Cop When Attempting to Stab a Girl via @WestJournalism https://t.co/7GTis7lmql Once again the WH displays total stupidity with the Columbus Ohio shooting. Never mind the officer saved another life by shooting the aggressor w knife
— Wolf J. Flywheel Keep America Great! (@RufusTF45774819) April 22, 2021
A second 911 call came in, but the caller quickly hung up when police arrived at the scene. Footage from the body-worn camera of the officer who fatally shot Bryant shows that as soon as he pulls up, a young female with an apparent knife in her hand is forcing another female to the ground.
While still holding the knife, she then turns and charges at another female nearby, at which point the officer fired multiple shots, fatally striking her. Two other officers, whose body-camera footage was also released, performed CPR and other life-saving measures on Bryant after the shooting.
Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus Jr. said that the community should not “rush to judgement” in the aftermath of the “tragedy.” He added:
“I understand the outrage and emotion around this incident. A teenage girl is dead and she’s dead at the hands of a police officer. Under any circumstances, that is a horrendous tragedy, but the video shows there is more to this. It requires us to pause, take a close look at the sequence of events and though it is not easy, wait for the facts.”
.@SenTedCruz SLAMS @KingJames for his “YOU’RE NEXT” tweet of the police officer involved in a fatal shooting incident in Columbus, Ohio. @tedcruzhttps://t.co/3k4jKH9giN
— CNSNews (@cnsnews) April 22, 2021
Columbus interim Police Chief Michael Woods said that he cannot comment on this specific incident, but that police officers are trained to use deadly force to stop a deadly assault on an officer or third party from happening. He said:
“When officers are faced with someone employing deadly force, deadly force can be the response the officer gives.”
NBC News deliberately edited police body-camera footage so that their viewers would not see the knife a teenage girl was holding in her hands, waving around at another person, just moments before a police officer fatally shot her.
NBC News also deceptively edited the 911 call to omit the part where the caller says a girl was “trying to stab us.” However, the Columbus Police Department released the body-camera footage within hours of the incident in hopes that it would let the world see the true facts of what transpired.
OJ Simpson says LeBron is wrong about the Columbus, Ohio police shooting & that he thinks the officer saved a life by shooting the girl with a knife. Also, OJ is against defunding the police. https://t.co/zQm5qKYcbu
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) April 22, 2021
Whoever produced and/or edited the report on NBC News apparently did everything they could to downplay the fact that Bryant had a weapon and was attempting to stab someone and so those who get their information from NBC News will likely think that Bryant was profiled and fatally shot by police because of her race.
Bryant had a knife and was trying to stab someone with that knife. The police officer who fatally shot her decided that she must be stopped and did so with very little time as the knife in Bryant’s hand was already heading towards its intended victim.
The officer was prepared, knowing from the 911 call that there was a girl with a knife trying to stab people and NBC News deliberately edited that part out during their news segment.
Protesters demand revenge after officer shoots knife-wielding teen who was about to stab girl
April 21st, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH – Protesters took to the streets of Columbus Tuesday night following the release of police body camera footage showing the shooting of a 15-year-old girl by a Columbus police officer earlier in the day.
The teen was shot as she attacked two other girls with a knife.
Shortly before the verdict came down in the Derek Chauvin trial, 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant was shot and killed by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio, after police responded to a call about someone armed with a knife, officials say. https://t.co/BiQWMpVrtp
Police with the Columbus Division of Police released a portion of the video just hours after the incident. Police had hoped the video would ease tensions following a series of high-profile police shootings.
Officials were also concerned about the timing of the shooting, minutes after the guilty verdict was released in the trial of former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.
Police released body cam video that shows the 16-year-old girl in Columbus, Ohio appear to lunge at another teen with a knife before being shot by police. https://t.co/avPLJCidwB
— National File (@NationalFile) April 21, 2021
The 10-second video clip shows the officer exiting the police vehicle at a house after police received a 911 call reporting a person had been threatened with a knife around 4:45 p.m.
A group of people can be seen in a driveway as the officer begins to move toward them. As he steps toward the group, a black female, later identified as Ma’Khia Bryant, can be seen swinging a knife at another female, who falls backward.
Police in Columbus, Ohio, fatally shoot teen girl who was swinging knife at 2 other people, video shows https://t.co/nkZbpCG3zf
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) April 21, 2021
The officer ordered the armed teen to “get down” several times. Bryant refused to comply with the officer and charged another female pinned against a car.
As Bryant begins to swing the knife at the pinned female, the officer fires his pistol four times. Bryant was struck by at least one shot and falls to the sidewalk. A black-handled blade similar to a kitchen knife lies on the sidewalk next to her.
Body-camera video appears to show a fight when the officer arrives. Two women or girls are in a confrontation, and one falls to the ground in front of the officer. https://t.co/u5gK21D3HQ
— Tavares Jones (@tavareskjones) April 21, 2021
A man immediately shouts at the officer:
“You didn’t have to shoot her! She’s just a kid, man!”
The officer answered back that she was attacking the other girl with a knife:
“She had a knife. She just went at her.”
Columbus Fire medics arrived on the scene to render aid at 4:46 p.m. and transported Bryant to Mount Carmel East hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 5:21 p.m., police said.
Ohio police fatally shoot Black teen swinging knife https://t.co/MGNYlNlmZG
— KTAB News (@KTABTV) April 21, 2021
Despite Bryant being armed and attacking other teens at the time of the shooting, protesters took to the streets Tuesday evening carrying Black Lives Matter signs, megaphones, and a loudspeaker. About 50 protesters had gathered behind crime scene tape at 8:30 p.m., approximately a half-mile from the scene of the shooting.
K.C. Taynor shouted through a megaphone:
“We don’t get to celebrate nothing…In the end, you know what, you can’t be black.”
Video: Protests Break Out In Ohio After Police Fatally Shoot Black Teenage Girl https://t.co/PlHCb7SN2u
— Heal the Planet ✌✌?? (@fwtoney) April 21, 2021
Another protester brought an amplifier and microphone to the scene and called for violence against police officers:
“There should be an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Is this what we’re coming to in America? God, damn. We’re not going to sit here and just sit around while you shoot and kill us, then go back to the suburbs.
“They shoot us, we shoot them. You shoot us, we shoot you.”
Another protester shouted:
“We patrol our own community. Somebody reaches out for help, we come.”
Video from Legion Lane: pic.twitter.com/bdEdl0BUDo
— Marc Kovac (@ohiocapitalblog) April 21, 2021
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther said the video was released quickly for transparency:
“It’s a tragic day in the city of Columbus. It’s a horrible, heartbreaking situation. We felt transparency in sharing this footage, as incomplete as it is at this time, was critical.
“We know based on this footage the officer took action to protect another young girl in our community.”
Body Cam Video Shows Officer Shoot, Kill Teenage Girl In Ohio
Columbus Mayor: “We know from this footage that the officer took action to protect another young girl.”
Police Chief: “a caller said a female was there trying to stab them”https://t.co/hFp7WBah57 @cbschicago
— Audrina Bigos (@AudrinaBigos) April 21, 2021
Interim Columbus Police Chief Michael Woods said at a press conference that police are permitted to use deadly force to protect themselves or others.
He said:
“The information was that a caller said a female was there trying to stab them and put their hands on them. Medics were called right away”
He added that Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation is now reviewing the killing following an agreement with the city last summer for all police shootings to be handled by independent investigators under Attorney General Dave Yost’s office.
Caught on doorbell camera: Man opens fire on Ohio deputy during suicide welfare check
March 17, 2021
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP, OH – Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy Sara Vaught is lucky to be alive following a harrowing shootout that was captured on a doorbell camera. The deputy was making a welfare check at a residence when the man pulled a gun and fired.
The shooting took place Monday around 6:50 p.m. when deputies were called to a house on Hunt Club Drive in Deerfield Township for a well-being check on Lance Runion. His brother had called 911 reporting Runion was suicidal:
“He kept telling me, ‘I just want to go to sleep. I just want to go to sleep, I just know he’s in horrible shape. I’ve never heard him like this, just hopeless.”
Doorbell camera shows suspect shot at Warren County deputy @Ed_Richter_DDN https://t.co/96MsuIakfA
The brother said that Runion had guns in the home, but said he did not think his brother would use them.
Deputies with the Warrant County Sheriff’s Office responded to the address. Deputy Vaught stood on the porch while other deputies stood in the front yard.
Deputy Vaught knocked on the door to the residence. When there was no response, the deputy radioed dispatch to obtain a garage code to access the home.
Sheriff’s office: Warren County deputy shot suspect after he shot at her https://t.co/I49Ihpg9xK
— USA NEWS (@pathofex) February 17, 2021
While talking with dispatch, Deputy Vaught calming radioed that Runion was coming to the door:
“Here he comes. Here he is, here he is. “
Runion opened the door and pointed a handgun at Deputy Vaught.
Reacting quickly, Deputy Vaught dropped to a crotched position just as Runion fired without warning at her head. The shot barely missed the deputy and she returned fire.
The uninjured deputy struck Runion several times. In the video of the incident, Vaught can be heard telling other deputies:
“I’m good, I’m good, I think, I think I’m good.”
A Warren County deputy shot a suspect after he shot at her while she was responding to a call for service at a home in Deerfield Township. https://t.co/kL0kfa73pA
— WCPO 9 (@WCPO) February 17, 2021
The 56-year-old man was transported to a local hospital by EMS. He was listed in critical but stable condition.
Runion has been charged with attempted murder and felonious assault.
Deputy Vaught has worked for the Warren County Sheriff’s Department for almost seven years. Per department policy, she has been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.
Investigation underway after deputy shoots suspect who shot at her during well-being check in Warren County https://t.co/TOxZvhDju6
former University of Cincinnati Police Chief Gene Ferrara commented on the video in a local media interview:
“I remember one of the more senior officers saying police work was really 95% tedious boredom, punctuated by 5% of sheer terror. As I understand what happened here, that’s where it went.
“Hardly what you’d expect on a welfare check. The thing about police work is that you go from zero to 60 in about a half-second.”
Dash cam video shows Warren County deputy shot at after hummus dispute – WXIX https://t.co/UQc1LIF0wf #PoliceNews
— Emergency Traffic (@Police_Dispatch) December 21, 2016
Ferrara commended the actions of Deputy Vaught saying she followed training and procedures:
“You don’t have time to think about anything. So you have to react, and the reaction is based on whatever you’ve programmed into yourself through training. That’s really what I’m sure got her through that.”
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