Last Updated on February 17, 2022
Former NFL running back O.J. Simpson, who is perhaps best known for his involvement as a defendant in a certain California murder trial in the 1990s that had significant racial implications, weighed in on the shooting of knife-wielding teenager Ma’Khia Bryant this week, and criticized basketball player Lebron James for stoking outrage about the incident.
“You can’t fight every battle, you can’t,” Simpson said of James. “You gotta pick your battles, I mean, it’s a war that must be fought, but sometimes you need to take your time and be a little more patient before you comment on some of these, um, of these bad incidences that are happening with police departments. Uh, this one, Lebron should have waited.”
Simpson continued, “I’m a little upset with most of the media because they showed us edited versions of what happened with what took place with the girl and the knife. They made it sound as if this was another police officer, uh, overreacting, and killing another young black American.”
“Well, from what I saw when I saw the full tape, the police guy had no choice,” Simpson said. “He responded. We wish he could have pulled a Taser, we wish he could have done it in another way, but in that instance, if he hadn’t done what he did, it appeared to me that another young American would have had her life taken, and hey, I can’t fault what he did.”
Wait for the facts! #LeBronJames pic.twitter.com/As2zaGQD4M
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 22, 2021
As National File reported on Wednesday, James deleted his tweet threatening the officer with “You’re next” after being mocked and humiliated in the tweet replies.
A new video angle released on Thursday show the officer was completely justified:
A new video angle, apparently taken by a porch-mounted security camera, shows that the Columbus, Ohio police officer who shot Ma’Khia Bryant acted within the parameters of proper police procedure. Black Lives Matter and left-wing militants have attempted to use Bryant’s death as an excuse for more riots and looting.
In the footage, Bryant can clearly be seen storming down a driveway, engaging in a verbal altercation with multiple other females, and then taking advantage of an officer being distracted by one female’s fall to lunge at another with a knife.
The officer then engages the threat, saving the girl wearing pink.
