LeBron James Sparks Twitter Controversy in the Wake of Police Shooting

Columbus police officers shot Ma’Khia Bryant after responding to an altercation involving the 16-year-old. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James followed the situation and he had a big reaction to the police shooting. Well, a lot of people were unhappy with the situation. The four-time NBA champion was hit with a big dose of criticism.

The police shot Bryant right before former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin got his verdict for the death of George Floyd.

Floyd’s death triggered mass protests and some of the riots were really violent. He died in May after Chauvin pinned him to the ground, keeping his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes.

LeBron was pretty vocal throughout the entire year and many NBA fans followed his example. The NBA bubble in Orlando was the perfect platform for basketball players. They used it to deliver a message and some of the games were suspended.

The police shot Bryant as she as wielding a knife and had lunged at another minor. Police officer Nicholas Reardon shot her.

King James took to Twitter to say that Reardon is next. Well, LeBron believes that Chauvin and Reardon are pretty similar.

LeBron James responds to police shooting

LeBron deleted the tweet and reiterated his sympathy for the Bryant family. He emphasized the importance of getting the right facts on each situation.

“ANGER does any of us any good and that includes myself! Gathering all the facts and educating does though! My anger still is here for what happened that lil girl,” LeBron tweeted. “My sympathy for her family and may justice prevail!”

The Laker said he deleted the tweet so it wouldn’t be used to “create more hate.”

“I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police. I took the tweet down because its being used to create more hate -This isn’t about one officer.  it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY”

A lot of people criticized LeBron, including Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR). According to him, LeBron was inciting violence.

The National Fraternal Order of Police criticized LeBron, too.

“@KingJames, with his vast resources & influence, should educate himself and, frankly, has a responsibility to do so, on the facts before weighing in,” the organization tweeted. “This is disgraceful & extremely reckless. The officer saved a young girl’s life. No amount of gaslighting will change that fact.”