LeBron James deletes tweet about police officer who shot Ma’Khia Bryant

Columbus, Ohio, police officer Nick Reardon shot and killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant after she attacked one person then police say raised a knife at another person backed against a car.

Lakers star LeBron James tweeted a photo of Reardon with “YOU’RE NEXT” and “#ACCOUNTABILITY.” LeBron later deleted that tweet.

LeBron:

ANGER does any of us any good and that includes myself! Gathering all the facts and educating does though! My anger still is here for what happened that lil girl. My sympathy for her family and may justice prevail! 🙏🏾✊🏾🤎👑

— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021

I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police. I took the tweet down because its being used to create more hate -This isn’t about one officer.  it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY

— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021

It’s tragic Bryant is dead.

There are also important questions about how to handle the aftermath.

Some read LeBron’s initial tweet as threatening Reardon.

My read on LeBron’s initial tweet: Derek Chauvin was a police officer recently convicted of murder. You’re next as a police officer to be convicted of murder. After Chauvin’s verdict was announced, LeBron also tweeted “ACCOUNTABILITY.”

But as police bodycam video of the Bryant shooting shows, this incident differed significantly from the murder of unarmed George Floyd. Not all police killings should be lumped together.