LA Lakers star LeBron James takes to Twitter in response to Ma'Khia Bryant shooting, deletes and refines tweet later
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James recently deleted a quick-reaction tweet in response to the police shooting of Ma'Khia Bryant on Tuesday.
Byrant, a 16-year-old Black girl who was shot by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio, died in the shooting. The unfortunate event caused outrage across the country.
After finding out about the incident, LeBron James tweeted, “You’re next,” along with the police officer’s image, a few emojis and the hashtag “#ACCOUNTABILITY.”
After rethinking his response, James deleted the tweet as it fueled hatred rather than the justice he was looking for.
James acknowledged his anger and how he dealt with it while also expressing his deep sympathy for the family of Ma’Khia Bryant.
The original tweet by LeBron James was meant to call into mind how former police officer Derek Chauvin was recently convicted of two counts of murder and manslaughter for the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Though he wasn’t inciting violence, the four-time MVP recognized how it sent the wrong message and sought to clarify what his true intentions were.
LeBron James seeks more accountability
In another tweet after the Ma’Khia Bryant shooting, James shared his frustrations at the treatment of Black people by law enforcers. He also made sure to let fans know that he isn’t targeting an individual cop but the system itself.
The police officer who shot Bryant was identified as Nicholas Reardon after body camera footage was released by the Columbus Division of Police.
The incident hits closer to home for James as he was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, and later played for the Cleveland Cavaliers for several years.
He also owns the I Promise School for at-risk children, which is supported by the LeBron James Family Foundation and is based in Akron.
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