Police union asks NBA to investigate LeBron James for tweet ‘inciting violence’ after Ma’Khia Bryant shooting

A police union in one of the US’s biggest cities has formally requested the NBA investigate LeBron James over his "YOU’RE NEXT" tweet following the shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant.

Los Angeles Police Protective League wrote to the league calling for a probe into whether the tweet violated their policies, and to hold him accountable for "inciting violence" against the officer targeted.

James tweeted the photo of Columbus, Ohio police officer Nicholas Reardon to his 50 million followers with the hashtag, #ACCOUNTABILITY, before deleting it soon after.

LAPD detective Jamie McBride told Fox News that the tweet was an incitement of violence against a "hero" officer who saved a life.

Ms Bryant was shot as she lunged at another girl while holding a knife shortly before Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd.

"You had a person with a very large knife and no officer wants to take a life, but I’ll tell you one thing, that officer saved a life and he’s a hero," Mr McBride told Fox.

"LeBron James sent that tweet out to over fifty million followers, to incite violence is basically what that tweet did," he added.

James quickly deleted the "YOU’RE NEXT" tweet that kicked off the controversy, saying that anger doesn’t do anyone, including himself, any good.

While he said gathering the facts and educating does do good, he did not apologize for the tweet despite removing it.

"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.”

The National Fraternal Order of Police, the country’s largest police union, said the tweet was "disgraceful and extremely reckless".

"The officer saved a young girl’s life. No amount of gaslighting will change that fact," they said.

Speaking to Fox host Laura Ingraham, known for telling James to "shut up and dribble", Mr McBride said James was a "hypocrite" for saying police officers are "all killers", while relying on them for his own safety.

“Celebrities all throughout Los Angeles…and LeBron James hire off-duty police officers who do security at their houses for him, but they won’t mention them in anything because obviously, they’re going to look bad to their followers," he said.

"They’re trying to create this image of being a crusader and what they are is inciting violence."

The Independent has contacted the NBA for comment.

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