The officer who shot and killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant was identified and the community remains divided over the response from the Columbus Police Department. 

Officer Nicholas Reardon, who joined the department in 2019, was the first officer on the scene after several people, including Bryant, called 9-1-1 for reports of a fight. 

PREVIOUS: Black 16-year-old girl shot and killed by police in Ohio, family says 

The shooting happened just after Derek Chauvin was convicted on all counts for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Tuesday. 

A memorial is growing for #MakiyahBryant The Community is still in disbelief the 16 year old was killed by a police officer. @BNCNews #BNCTruth pic.twitter.com/l3HgULJzBE

— Aiyana Cristal (@aiyanacristal) April 21, 2021

Shortly after the shooting, police released body-camera footage in an effort to be transparent, according to Mayor Andrew Ginther. 

Police and local officials held a press conference on Wednesday to update the community. 

Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus said, “A teenage girl is dead and she is dead at the hands of a police officer. Under any circumstances, that is a horrendous tragedy.” 

The state is now investigating the shooting and Ginther said Reardon will be held accountable if he was wrong or violated policy. 

Activists and members of the community are divided on the officer’s response. 

RELATED: Officer in Hutchinson, Minnesota dragged, assaulted by white driver

Bryant’s family and friends held a vigil to honor her and protesters took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration.

At tonight’s vigil…Family&Friends are outraged police did not try to deescalate the situation before killing 16 yr old Ma’khia Bryant.@BNCNews #BNCTruth #MaKhiabyrant pic.twitter.com/1ckxULEwJF

— Aiyana Cristal (@aiyanacristal) April 22, 2021

Protesters take to the streets in Downtown Columbus Ohio; outraged after Ma’Khia Bryant was shot 4 times by Officer Nicholas Reardon yesterday; killing the 16 year old. @BNCNews #BNCTruth #makhiabryant pic.twitter.com/wLvZmQtNEu

— Aiyana Cristal (@aiyanacristal) April 22, 2021

While some say the shooting was justified because Bryant was holding a knife, others have compared the shooting to the police’s response with Kyle Rittenhouse. 

On Black News Tonight, we discussed the police killing of 16-year-old Ma’khia Bryant. Did the police have other options? @BNCNews @divafeminist pic.twitter.com/r3h9dKzrkA

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) April 22, 2021

A Black girl is dead because the cops brought a gun to a damn knife fight. If you don’t know how to de-escalate teen girls who are fighting, you should not be a police officer. I said what I said. #MakhiaBryant

— Brittney Cooper (@ProfessorCrunk) April 21, 2021

Makhia Bryant gets shot 4 times for holding a knife.

BUT…

Dylann Roof kills 9 people who were praying in church. -CAPTURED ALIVE

Kyle Rittenhouse kills 2
& injures a 3rd.
-CAPTURED ALIVE

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa kills
10 people in a supermarket.
-CAPTURED ALIVE

YOU KNOW WHY! pic.twitter.com/Tc0YSHfbGC

— KID VICIOUS? (@kirkacevedo) April 21, 2021

#MakhiaBryant should still be alive. #SayHerName

— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) April 21, 2021

In a world where the police can safely apprehend white male mass shooters. I would really like to know why a trained police officer assumed that the only way to deescalate a fight, where a 16 year old black girl had a knife, was to immediately shoot her dead. RIP #MakhiaBryant

— London Hughes (@TheLondonHughes) April 21, 2021

it’s frustrating & exhausting to see people try to justify the murder of 15 year old #MakhiaBryant.

it’s frustrating because 17 year old kyle rittenhouse shot & killed two people & was peacefully taken into custody & is still alive today.

— ?????? (@SimoneGJohnson) April 21, 2021

Why does a cop shoot a teenage girl to death four times, but Kyle Rittenhouse who murdered two people was taken into custody alive? ?

#makhiabryant #wednesdaythought

— David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) April 21, 2021

Thinking about all of those teens who watched a police officer kill another teen in front of their eyes #makhiabryant

— Eugene Scott (@Eugene_Scott) April 21, 2021

same folks who say a 16 year old black girl deserved to be shot by police for having a knife to protect herself are the same ones applauding white women like Lauren Boebert running around dripping in guns with the expressed intent to protect their white womanhood. #makhiabryant

— blackcatbone (@adiavictoria) April 21, 2021

Tezlyn Figaro, host of the Straight Shot, No Chaser Podcast, joined Making the Case with Yodit to discuss the shooting.

If you or someone you know is struggling with trauma triggered by gun violence, resources are available here.