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Disturbing image emerges of moment before teen killed by cops

A chilling photo has surfaced from police body camera footage at a scene where a woman was fatally shot by an officer after allegedly attacking multiple people with a knife.

Three officers responded to two calls for help to an address in Columbus, in the US state of Ohio, on Tuesday about 4.30pm (local time) where a woman was allegedly threatening two others with a knife, Fox News reported.

One of the officers, Nicholas Rearden, reportedly fatally shot a 16-year-old named Ma'Khia Bryant, who according to her mum, was one of the two people who called 911 requesting help, 10TV reported.

Photo from body camera footage captured the moment before Ma'Khia Bryant was fatally shot.
Body camera footage captured the moment before Ma'Khia Bryant, 16, was fatally shot by a police officer. Source: NBC News

According to Fox News, one of the 911 callers was heard saying that someone was "trying to fight us, trying to stab us, trying to put their hands on our grandma".

"Get here now," the caller told police.

Footage from Mr Rearden reportedly showed a young female who appeared to have a knife in her hand force another female to the ground.

She was then reportedly captured charging towards another nearby female while still holding the apparent knife, with Mr Rearden then firing several shots and killing her, Fox News reported.

Two other officers performed CPR on the teenager after she was shot, but she was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital, according to the publication.

Ma'Khia Bryant pictured.
Ma'Khia Bryant was fatally shot this week by a police officer. Source: NBC News

The incident was described a "horrendous tragedy" by Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus Jr, who urged the community to hold their judgement until the full story was uncovered.

"I understand the outrage and emotion around this incident. A teenage girl is dead and she’s dead at the hands of a police officer," he said this week.

"Under any circumstances, that is a horrendous tragedy. But the video shows there is more to this. It requires us to pause, take a close look at the sequence of events, and though it is not easy, wait for the facts."

The officer has been employed by the force since December 2019 and has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation takes place.

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