On Tuesday, Derek Chauvin was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd, and at the same time, 16-year-old Black teen Ma’Khia Bryant lay dead after a police officer shot her in the chest.
Kehlani thinks it’s time to get rid of the police department once and for all.
“ACAB. ABOLISH THE F*CKING POLICE. the same day we ‘celebrate’ a verdict for another loss that should’ve never happened, a Black child is murdered. ABOLISHMENT IS THE ONLY ANSWER,” she tweeted.
The singer added, “Ma’khia bryant was 15 years old, calling the police for help. what is ‘justice’ what does that verdict mean what does it stop?” Kehlani quickly corrected the teen’s age to “16.”
“Somebodies whole ass baby,” she concluded “That’s a CHILD.”
After receiving a call, officers were dispatched to Bryant’s home that a group of teenagers had threatened her.
Her aunt Hazel Bryant told the Columbus Dispatch that Bryant lived in a foster home on Legion Lane. She got into an altercation with another youth at the home.
In the bodycam footage, which has already been released to the public, one of the officers is seen walking towards a driveway as a group of young people is standing by. Bryant can be seen either pushing another young girl, who then falls to the ground.
According to Columbus Police, the officer is Nicholas Reardon, who has been on the force for approximately 18 months.
“We don’t have all the facts, but we do know a 16-year-old girl tragically died last night,” Mayor Andrew Ginther told reporters Wednesday. “The bottom-line: Did Ma’Khia Bryant need to die yesterday? How did we get here? This is a failure on part of our community; some are guilty but all of us are responsible. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation will determine if the officer involved was wrong and if he was we will hold him accountable.”
