Columbus cop who fatally shot Ma'Khia Bryant, 16, is an expert marksman in the Air National Guard where he also serves as a military policeman

 The Columbus cop who fatally shot Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old black girl, is in the Air National Guard where he earned 'expert marksman' badge, it has been revealed.

Nicholas Reardon shot Bryant at around 4.45pm on Tuesday on the 3100 block of Legion Lane while responding to a 911 call about an attempted stabbing. Bryant was allegedly seen charging at another girl with the knife before she was shot.

The shooting came after a court in Minneapolis, Minnesota found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on three charges including murder for the death of George Floyd. Bryant's death sparked protests while others around the country celebrated the Chauvin verdict. 

Reardon, a graduate of Bishop Watterson Catholic school in Columbus, was a member of the school's wrestling team, Daily Beast reported. While he attended Air Force basic combat training, the school posted updates on his progress. 

The Columbus cop who fatally shot Ma'khia Bryant has been identified by Daily Beast as a member of the Air National Guard
Nicholas Reardon reportedly received the 'expert marksman' badge while in training

The Columbus cop who fatally shot Ma'Khia Bryant has been identified by the Daily Beast as a member of the Air National Guard. Nicholas Reardon reportedly received the 'expert marksman' badge while in training

People hold up a picture of Ma'Khia Bryant at the fence at the north side of Lafayette Square during a vigil at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. on Wednesday

People hold up a picture of Ma'Khia Bryant at the fence at the north side of Lafayette Square during a vigil at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. on Wednesday

People listen as friends of Ma'Khia Bryant speak about her at a community vigil, on Wednesday, at Douglas Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio

People listen as friends of Ma'Khia Bryant speak about her at a community vigil, on Wednesday, at Douglas Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio

Hundreds of Ohio State students staged a sit-in at the union building and called on the university to cut ties with the Columbus Police Department on Wednesday in the wake of the shooting

Hundreds of Ohio State students staged a sit-in at the union building and called on the university to cut ties with the Columbus Police Department on Wednesday in the wake of the shooting

The school indicated that Reardon graduated from basic combat training in August 2017 before attending the military's Security Forces Tech School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

The Security Forces Academy teaches a 65-day course where students learn the basic functions of serving as military police. 

A photograph of Reardon in his uniform at the time indicated he completed training with a rank of Airman First Class. 

His alma mater's Twitter account said he earned the expert marksman badge for the M4A1 Carbine fully automatic assault rifle used by the military.

Daily Beast also revealed that Reardon seems to be the son of retired police Sergeant Edward Reardon.

The older Reardon worked with the Columbus Division of Police for 32 years and is also an Air Force veteran, according to the outlet. He served as the Columbus Police Academy's basic training sergeant.

A Twitter account revealed in a post made in 2019 that Reardon's father was honored by an announcer during an Ohio State University football game.

'I am very proud of my friend Sgt. Ted Reardon who was recognized at today's Ohio State Football game. I have served with him in the USAF 1984-1987 and @ColumbusPolice 1993-to present,' the account tweeted. 

'May God bless him and his family!'

The Columbus Police Department honored Edward Reardon when he retired last year in a tweet noting that he trained more than 700 recruits. 

'Officers across Central Ohio will remember him for his [love] of Hallmark movies & his get in your face training,' the department tweeted.

The department noted in a Facebook post at the time that 'one of his son's [sic] is currently a Columbus Police recruit.'

The Columbus Dispatch noted that the younger Reardon joined the police department in December 2019.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Air National Guard in Ohio for more information and additional comment about his military service. 


Columbus police on Wednesday released additional body camera video showing Bryant lunging at another young woman with a knife before she is fatally shot by Reardon, who was identified by officials during a press conference.

Police released three body camera recordings, along with two 911 calls reporting the disturbance that ultimately led to the shooting.

In one of the horrifying videos, a girl who Bryant allegedly tried to stab is seen getting off the ground as gun shots go off.

'I didn't do anything! She was trying to stab me!' the girl is heard screaming as other officers walked over to Bryant.

A second video from a responding officer showed him preparing to render aid to Bryant who was sprawled out on the cement.

As the officer tried to help Bryant, she is heard gasping for breath. The officer is seen trying to find the entry wounds of the bullets when the video ends.

A third video shows the view from Reardon's body camera. He's seen arriving on the scene of the fight at 4.44pm on Tuesday, and encountering several people fighting outside.

Bodycam shows multiple angles of police shooting Ma'Khia Bryant
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
0:00
Previous
Play
Skip
Mute
Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time1:54
Fullscreen
Need Text
Columbus police on Wednesday released additional body camera video showing 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant lunging at another young woman with a knife before she is fatally shot by a police officer. One of the alleged victims is seen sitting on the ground as Bryant is shot

Columbus police on Wednesday released additional body camera video showing 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant lunging at another young woman with a knife before she is fatally shot by a police officer. One of the alleged victims is seen sitting on the ground as Bryant is shot 

Officer Nicholas Reardon (blurred left) is seen holding his gun after shooting Bryant as people at the scene screamed at him

Officer Nicholas Reardon (blurred left) is seen holding his gun after shooting Bryant as people at the scene screamed at him 

A second video from a responding officer showed people running off after the shooting

A second video from a responding officer showed people running off after the shooting 

The video also showed another officer arriving to the scene and preparing to render aid to Bryant who was sprawled out on the cement

The video also showed another officer arriving to the scene and preparing to render aid to Bryant who was sprawled out on the cement

As the officer tried to help Bryant, she is heard gasping for breath. The officer is seen trying to find the entry wounds of the bullets when the video ends

As the officer tried to help Bryant, she is heard gasping for breath. The officer is seen trying to find the entry wounds of the bullets when the video ends

One of them, Bryant, is seen in the video swinging a knife at a young woman in shorts, who falls to the ground.

A slowed-down version of the video shows Bryant then turning her attention toward another woman in a neon tracksuit and pinning her against a parked car.

Officer Reardon pulls out his gun and repeatedly shouts: 'Get down! Get down!'

As Bryant raises her right hand clutching the knife and directs it at the woman in the tracksuit, who cowers to defend herself from the blow, Reardon fires four shots and Bryant collapses to the ground.

'You shot my baby!' a man cries out.

A slowed-down version of the video from the body camera of the officer who shot Bryant shows the teen holding a knife in her right hand and raising it toward a woman in a neon track suit
Moments later, four gunshots ring out

A slowed-down version of the video from the body camera of the officer who shot Bryant shows the teen holding a knife in her right hand and raising it toward a woman in a neon track suit. Moments later, four gunshots ring out 

After Bryant was shot, the woman in the neon tracksuit she was allegedly trying to stab was able to get away

After Bryant was shot, the woman in the neon tracksuit she was allegedly trying to stab was able to get away 

Faced with growing outrage from witnesses, Reardon says: 'She had a knife. She just went at her.'

The man who called Bryant his 'baby' screams at the cop: 'She's a f**king kid, man. Are you stupid?' 

Authorities said on one of the 911 calls, a frantic young woman is heard begging an emergency operator to send an officer to an address on the east side of Columbus on Tuesday afternoon.  

'We got girls out here... trying to fight us and trying to stab us,' she shouts into the phone to make her voice heard above sounds of people screaming in the background. 'We need a police officer here now.'

Relatives have said that it was Bryant herself who called the police, but the chief did not confirm that it was her voice on the call.   

Other videos from body cameras worn by other officers on the scene show Bryant lying on the ground in a pool of blood as police perform CPR on her.

The victim of the police shooting was identified by her mother as Ma'Khia Bryant on Facebook

The victim of the police shooting was identified by her mother as Ma'Khia Bryant on Facebook

Video from officers on the scene shows police administering first aid to a mortally wounded Bryant, seen resting on the ground against a car

Video from officers on the scene shows police administering first aid to a mortally wounded Bryant, seen resting on the ground against a car 

Columbus police release new body cam from Ma'Khia Bryant shooting
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
0:00
Previous
Play
Skip
Mute
Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time3:14
Fullscreen
Need Text

Bryant was later rushed to Mount Carmel East Hospital, where she died from her injuries. 

'We know based on this footage the officer took action to protect another young girl in our community,' Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther told reporters during Wednesday's press conference.  

Police initially released portions of Reardon's body camera video within hours of the shooting in an attempt to ease tensions as Black Lives Matter protesters gathered at the scene.  

Ma'Khia died at 5.21pm, less than an hour after police were summoned to the scene.  

Speaking to 10TV through tears, Paula Bryant said her daughter had called the police for protection and did not expect to be shot dead.

'This never should have happened,' she said. 'She's a loving girl.'  

Paula Bryant told reporters her daughter was an honor student who was 'loving' and 'promoted peace'

Paula Bryant told reporters her daughter was an honor student who was 'loving' and 'promoted peace'

Bryant said Ma'Khia lived in a foster home, but she was hoping to bring the teen and her sister back home soon. The mother and daughter last saw one another on Thursday. 

It isn't clear why Ma'Khia was in foster care. 

'We hugged each other. She said "Mommy, I made honor roll." She said "Mommy, I’m looking forward to coming home,"' Bryant said.

The grieving mother added that she wants her daughter to be remembered for her 'motherly nature.' 

'She promoted peace,' Bryant said.  

Ma'Khia's aunt, Hazel Bryant, also told reporters that the 16-year-old was a 'good kid' and 'didn't deserve to die like a dog in the street.' 

Though she was originally reported by her aunt as 15, her age has now been updated to 16. 

Police had been responding to a report of a stabbing before the fatal shooting. A witness said Ma'Khia got into an altercation with another resident of the home and was armed with the knife to defend herself when police arrived. 

Officer Nicholas Reardon is seen standing on the scene after shooting and killing Bryant
He has been on the force since December 2019

Officer Nicholas Reardon is seen standing on the scene after shooting and killing Bryant. He has been on the force since December 2019 

Makhia Bryant was taken to Mount Carmel East hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead at 5.21pm

Makhia Bryant was taken to Mount Carmel East hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead at 5.21pm

Authorities said they had been responding to an initial stabbing call at around 4.30pm. The shots fire call was made just 15 minutes later

Authorities said they had been responding to an initial stabbing call at around 4.30pm. The shots fire call was made just 15 minutes later

Authorities said they responded to the initial stabbing call at around 4.30pm. The shots fired call was made just 15 minutes later. 

Columbus Police have requested Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation to respond to the scene and investigate the shooting. 

Interim Chief of Police Michael Woods said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation had opened an inquiry into the case. He and the city's public safety director, Ned Pettus, Jr., appealed for calm while the investigation proceeds and facts are uncovered in what he called 'a devastating' loss of life.

'Fast, quick answers cannot come at the cost of accurate answers,' Pettus told a late news conference with the police chief and mayor. 

'BCI will conduct a fully independent investigation, which will be made public. If an officer has violated policy or the law, if they have, they will be held accountable.'

Protesters soon convened at the crime scene and called for action after witnesses described what led to the shooting.

Columbus Police provide update on deadly officer involved shooting
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
0:00
Previous
Play
Skip
Mute
Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time1:06
Fullscreen
Need Text
A protester in Los Angeles holds a poster displaying the portrait of Ma'Khia Bryant

A protester in Los Angeles holds a poster displaying the portrait of Ma'Khia Bryant 

A crowd gathers to protest in the neighborhood where a Columbus police officer fatally shot Bryant on Tuesday

A crowd gathers to protest in the neighborhood where a Columbus police officer fatally shot Bryant on Tuesday

A crowd gathers to protest in the neighborhood where a Columbus police officer fatally shot Bryant on Tuesday

A crowd gathers to protest in the neighborhood where a Columbus police officer fatally shot Bryant on Tuesday

'She was a good kid. She was loving,' Hazel Bryant, the girl's aunt (left), told reporters on the street. 'She was 15 years old. She didn't deserve to die like a dog in the street.' Her age has since been updated to 16

'She was a good kid. She was loving,' Hazel Bryant, the girl's aunt (left), told reporters on the street. 'She was 15 years old. She didn't deserve to die like a dog in the street.' Her age has since been updated to 16

A man can be seen holding a 'Black Lives Matter' sign at the scene where Ma'Khia was fatally gunned down

A man can be seen holding a 'Black Lives Matter' sign at the scene where Ma'Khia was fatally gunned down

A woman at the scene - identified on Facebook as Shonnell Kelley - shared a series of videos from the shooting, including one of the officer who allegedly shot the teen.

'This is the racist a*s b***h, that shot this poor f*****g girl,' she said in one clip, showing the officer and just part of the girl's body. 'I'm not going to put this sh*t on camera but he shot this f*****g girl, talking about she is trying to stab him. Da f**k, this is somebody's f****g daughter. B***h!'

Kelley shared in the post that the teen had the knife because 'somebody tried to jump her' and added that she was the one who called for help. 

According to Kelley, the cop 'didn't tell her to put it down didn't ask questions or nothing.'  

More footage from the scene shows paramedics coming to retrieve the teen and take her to a local hospital, where she died

More footage from the scene shows paramedics coming to retrieve the teen and take her to a local hospital, where she died

Protesters soon convened at the crime scene and called for action after witnesses described what led to the shooting

Protesters soon convened at the crime scene and called for action after witnesses described what led to the shooting

Hazel Bryant talks to the media after her niece, 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant, was fatally shot by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio

Hazel Bryant talks to the media after her niece, 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant, was fatally shot by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio

A woman reacts to the shooting in Columbus

A woman reacts to the shooting in Columbus

Columbus mayor Andrew Ginther said authorities would be reviewing the bodycam footage. 

'This afternoon a young woman tragically lost her life. We do not know all of the details,' he said on Twitter. 'There is body-worn camera footage of the incident. We are working to review it as soon as possible,' he said in a statement released on Twitter.

Ginther said it appeared from an initial review of the footage that the officer who opened fire 'took action to protect another young girl in our community.'

'But another young girl will still not be coming home tonight, he said, adding, 'I ask everyone to pray for peace. Tonight we pray for this family, we pray for this city, and we pray for our neighbors,' Ginther said.

Powered by Blogger.