A rather heart-wrenching video of a Flint police officer gunning down a 19-year-old— who had fired shots at him in a bustling street over the weekend— is going viral. The incident occurred at a traffic enforcement point in the Juneteenth parade in Flint Saturday.
As per recent reports, Briana Sykes, the accused, who first fired bullets at the officer, ignored his orders which pushed him to pull the trigger. "Let me see your hands," the officer can be heard yelling several times, as reported by Fox News. The video footage also shows the officer sobbing post the firing act, as a volley of officers console him.
The decreased teenager happened to be the only one in the car, and authorities are yet to discover the real motive behind her actions. “I feel like the police officer was doing his job he had a life to protect,” said a witness to the media outlet Fox2 Detroit. “Not only his, but we had a parade full of kids,” she added.

— MSP Third District (@mspbayregion) June 19, 2021
At the request of the Flint Police Department, the Michigan State Police is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred at approximately 2:14 p.m. in the City of Flint involving a Flint Police Officer. pic.twitter.com/WJgZIGGMhE
While the shot was the last resort, the police performed first aid on Sykes soon after and rushed her to the hospital. But, she succumbed to the injuries and was pronounced dead. The officer reportedly crumbled at her death, indicating how hard it was for him to perform the duty. The officer’s anguish—as captured on video— mirrors his empathy.
“I kind of feel like him dropping, it was the devastation of the whole situation,” the witness averred. Further probe into the situation is underway, but Michigan State Police have reiterated their stance—the firing of gunshots was initiated by her, following by her overlooking the cop’s instructions before the officer fired shots.
The Juneteenth period is a time of gaiety and celebration. But, the unforeseen tragedy shook passersby and dampened the festive spirits beyond imagination. Citing the same, the witness, who spoke to the media outlet maintained that the vibe was just too somber. “It is just sad all around. This was supposed to be a celebration. I've been here all my life,” she said, adding, “I'm not going to say I'm used to it. You just try and stay safe. You can be anywhere literally, so you can just be safe wherever you are at.”
