Thread by @cbouzy

You have seen the image of Ma'Khia Bryant "about to stab a girl," and now I will tell the rest of the story.

In this first frame, you see Nicholas Reardon exit his cruiser with his right hand on his firearm. Throughout the ordeal, he never removes his hand from his firearm...

Here Ma’Khia Bryant approaches the first girl, and Nicholas Reardon is approximately 5 feet away. He can see she is holding a table knife, and he walks towards both girls with his right hand still on his firearm. Note where the girl in pink is standing...

Now Nicholas Reardon is with both girls. His left hand is on Ma’Khia Bryant, while his right hand is still on his firearm. The other girl is on the floor kicking Ma’Khia Bryant. At this point, Nicholas Reardon could’ve disarmed Ma’Khia, and the incident would’ve been over...

In this frame, Ma’Khia Bryant hovers over the girl on the floor, and Nicholas Reardon is pulling his firearm. The girl in pink moves towards Ma’Khia Bryant, and the man in the grey hoody moves towards the girl on the floor...

Nicholas Reardon’s firearm is unholstered, and he is pointing his firearm towards Ma’Khia Bryant. His left hand is on Ma’Khia, and here is another missed opportunity to end the altercation without lethal force. The girl in pink has now made herself part of the altercation...

Ma’Khia Bryant now breaks away from Nicholas Reardon, and moves towards the girl in pink who approached Ma’Khia first. Nicholas is now aiming his firearm to take lethal action. Note: Ma’Khia had several opportunities to stab Nicholas and the girl on the floor, but she didn’t…

The girl in pink is taking a fighting posture. She is not attempting to flee the situation; she is part of it. Nicholas Reardon is still aiming his firearm waiting for a clear shot to shoot Ma’Khia Bryant. Even now, he has enough time to tackle Ma’Khia and end it peacefully...

In this last frame before Nicholas Reardon fires the first shot, you can clearly see the girl in pink wasn’t an innocent bystander being menaced by a knife wielding “crazed woman.” The girl in pink moved from a position of safety to engage Ma’Khia Bryant...

Stop claiming Nicholas Reardon didn’t have time or wasn’t close enough to disarm Ma’Khia Bryant, that is simply false. Also stop assuming Ma’Khia Bryant was about to stab the girl in pink. Ma’Khia had an opportunity to stab the girl on the floor, but she didn’t...

Nicholas Reardon is the “trained professional” in this situation, not the children and other people involved. It was up to him to control the scene, not the irrational teenagers in the middle of an altercation. Nicholas Reardon failed to do his job. Period.

Thank you for your comments, and I will use Nicholas Reardon's bodycam footage to debunk the false claims.

1. Nicholas Reardon couldn't see the knife when he walked up to the girls, and the knife wasn't visible at that time.

FALSE. The knife is clearly visible.

2. Nicholas Reardon was the only officer on the scene, and he had to make a spilt-second decision.

FALSE. As Nicholas Reardon tussled with the girls, he turns and he could see backup a few feet away.

3. Nicholas Reardon didn’t unholster his firearm until Ma’Khia Bryant went for the girl in pink.

FALSE. Nicholas Reardon unholstered his firearm as he tussled with the two girls.

4. It happened too fast. Nicholas Reardon didn’t have enough time to tackle or tase Ma’Khia.

FALSE. When Nicholas unholstered his firearm, he was inches away from Ma’Khia. If he had enough time to unholster his firearm, he had enough time to tackle or use his taser.