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Ma'Khia Bryant: Nicholas Reardon was military-trained expert marksman, says report as Internet hails him a 'hero'

Reardon has a military background — he was a graduate of Bishop Watterson Catholic school in Columbus, where he was a member of the wrestling team

Ma'Khia Bryant was shot by police officer Nicholas Reardon following a rather chaotic encounter as she threatened to stab another girl with a knife. As further details started getting revealed, it made the case even more difficult. With many questions surrounding the incident and the death of the teen girl, Ma'Khia Bryant's shooting has engulfed the nation. The latest reports reveal that the Columbus police officer who shot Bryant was a military-trained marksman and son of the department’s longtime basic training sergeant. It should also be noted that Reardon is being deemed as a "hero" on social media. 

Digging through the Internet, going back a few years, one can find more information about the officer who fired at the Black teen. It was on Wednesday, April 21 that authorities confirmed the officer to be Nicholas Reardon, a US Air National Guardsman who received an expert marksman badge with an M4 carbine.

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Reardon has a military background. He was a graduate of Bishop Watterson Catholic school in Columbus, where he was a member of the wrestling team as well. 

Son of a cop

According to a report in the Daily Beast, Reardon appears to be the son of retired Sergeant Edward 'Ted' Reardon. The veteran of the Columbus Division of Police is also an Air Force veteran and was honored at an Ohio State football game in 2019. Here, the announcer also reportedly noted that he was the basic training sergeant at the Columbus Police Academy.

According to a 2020 farewell tweet from the Columbus Police, Reardon trained more than 700 recruits during his tenure at the department.

A 'hero'

As more details emerge about on the recent shooting, the debate further heats up. The fact that Bryant was wielding a knife, allegedly on the verge of attacking the other girl, doesn't help her case. But several people have hailed Reardon's decision to shoot her. 

"This is the guy I want protecting me when someone tries to stab me!" one user tweeted. "Thank you officer, for your service!! Good shot. Sad a teen died but you did what you could. She ignored your requests to back@off or put knife down. This could be about several deaths had you not stepped up," another user tweeted. "Hero!" yet another user claimed.

Social media users justified the shooting, with one saying, "this is one shooting i support. probably the only one in a long time. it was a good shot. and he shot exactly when he needed to, to protect others. he saved lives by deescalating a deadly threat." And another tweeting, "I support this officer. I am just sorry this baby lost her life its so sad. I am happy he was a good shot and did not hit unintended targets."