Following the tragic death of Ma’Khia Bryant, 16, at the hands of the police, the teenage girl’s funeral will be held on April 30 in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, at the First Church of God. According to the Columbus Dispatch, a viewing will be held between noon and 1 PM, when the funeral service will begin.
Bishop Timothy Clark, a pastor at the church, spoke with News 10 about the sorrow surrounding Bryant’s funeral service, saying, “Grief is like wet sand. When you add to that tragedy, that weight only becomes greater.”
Clark continued, “Ma’Khia is worth grieving. We should give ourselves and others the gift of grace, gather around this family and guard and sustain them.”
We reported earlier that an officer shot Bryant on Tuesday, April 20. He was later identified as Nicholas Reardon.
Columbus police were called to the scene of an attempted stabbing, but once there, Reardon fatally shot the teenage girl in her chest four times. Details surrounding the incident remain fuzzy.
Many criticized the officer for resorting to deadly force instead of attempting to de-escalate the situation.
The officer is currently on administrative leave as the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigates the recent shooting.
Related Post: Val Demings Defends Police Officer Who Killed Ma’Khia Bryant
Located on Refugee Road in Southeast Columbus, First Church of God also held the funeral of Andre Hill, an innocent Black man who a Columbus police officer also shot in December 2020. Former police chief Thomas Quinlin stepped down from his position in January after the controversy and police scrutiny that followed.
“We will grieve, but as the Bible says, not as those who have no hope,” Clark stated about honoring Bryant this Saturday. “We will find a way to celebrate.”
