This is the knife the child was holding. People on this platform are acting like she was holding a Jim Bowie knife, and was about to gut the girl in pink. I watched the video in slow motion a dozen times, and the cop had his hand on his firearm as soon as he existed his cruiser.

She was close enough to be tackled or tased before getting close to the girl in pink, but the cop opted for lethal force instead. Her back is to the cop, and he could've have easily tackled her, but he was too busy aiming his firearm to shoot.

Everyone who are saying "she was about to stab that girl in pink," are conveniently ignoring the fact at the start of the video she is holding the knife and pushes one girl on the floor. She doesn't try to stab her, nor does she try to hurt her once she is on the ground.

This is the exact moment the first shot was fired. The girl in pink is in more danger of being accidentally shot by the cop, than being stabbed by the 4 inch table knife. Once again, the cop could've tackled or tased this child.

The table knife is barely larger than the width of the expansion joint in the concrete. A child felt threatened and she did what children do; she made a rash decision. However, she shouldn't have been gunned down for brandishing a god damn small table knife.

At this moment, before the cop pulled his firearm, he could've intervened with less lethal force. People who falsely claim it was a justified shooting, are ignoring the fact the cop had time to deescalate the situation before the child had time to reach the girl in pink.

I would argue the cop allowed the situation to escalate in front of him, because he made no effort to stop the fight. The entire time his right hand was on his firearm, even before the child appeared with the knife.

While one child falls to the floor, the cop turns away from the 16-year-old girl, pulls his firearm and yells "get down" BEFORE she went after the girl in pink. From the moment he arrived at the scene, he intended to pull his weapon.

Also, I keep hearing she was shot in her chest. I watched the bodycam footage of the other officer trying to determine where she was hit. He lifted up her shirt and he was frustrated because he couldn't find an entry wound. It appears she was shot in the back and side.