Columbus, Ohio police officer Nicolas Reardon won’t be facing charges for the 2021 shooting death of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, WBNS reports. A grand jury delivered a “no bill” verdict last Friday, affirming they didn’t find enough probable cause among the evidence to prove a crime was committed.

A grand jury has voted not to indict the cop who shot and killed 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant.

The special prosecutors handling the case said afterwards that police officer Nicholas Reardon's actions were justified, which suggests that was their recommendation to the grand jury. pic.twitter.com/WEJG69sdIk
— Rebecca Kavanagh @drrjkavanagh.bsky.social (@DrRJKavanagh) March 12, 2022

“Ma’Khia Bryant’s family is disappointed that a Franklin County grand jury declined to indict the officer who shot and killed her last year. Ma’Khia’s family has long wondered why this officer opted for lethal force even though there should have been other non-deadly options available to deal with this situation,” the family’s attorney, Michelle Martin, said in a statement, according to WBNS.

Reardon was responding to a domestic dispute call when he shot Bryant four times last April. According to the officer’s body camera footage, Reardon appeared on the scene asking Bryant and another woman what was happening when Bryant jumped at the other woman with a knife.

Bryant was transported to Mount Carmel East Hospital where she died from multiple gunshot wounds. Her autopsy report reveals she was hit once in the back, one time in the lower torso, another in the right shoulder and once more in her right thigh. Her cause of death was listed as a homicide.

“We believe that the tragedy that ultimately resulted in Ma’Khia’s death started long before she was shot and killed by a Columbus police officer. There must be full-scale changes made to Ohio’s foster care system to ensure that this doesn’t happen to another child,” Martin continued.

“We need to work tirelessly to protect those who are most vulnerable in our society. Ohio’s foster care system is failing our children and we cannot stand by and allow this to continue. As the one-year anniversary of Ma’Khia’s death approaches, her family is resolute in their fight for justice on her behalf,” the statement continued.

Ma'khia Bryant

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