LeBron James Deletes Tweet Condemning Columbus Officer In Ma’Khia Bryant’s Death, Said It Was ‘Being Used To Create More Hate’

NBA icon LeBron James posted a tweet Wednesday condemning Columbus Police Officer Nicholas Reardon, who shot and killed a 16-year-old black girl, who was attacking someone with a knife. “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY,” he tweeted, alongside a picture of the officer. James deleted the tweet hours later saying the message was “being used to create more hate.”

James drew the ire of Republican lawmakers including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), who claimed that the tweet incites violence against the Columbus officer. “This is disgraceful and dangerous,” the senator wrote in a statement Wednesday. “Is the NBA okay with this? Is Twitter?”

After deleting his initial tweet, LeBron wrote a follow-up message.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said in a press conference Wednesday, “Bottom line: Did Ma’Khia Bryant need to die yesterday? How did we get here? This is a failure on the part of our community. Some are guilty but all of us are responsible.” The mayor also said “if the officer involved was wrong, and if he was we will hold him accountable.”