“Breakfast Club” host Rashawn “DJ Envy” Casey has been hit with scathing critiques on social media in recent days because he dared to defend the Ohio police officer who shot black teenager Ma’Khia Bryant to prevent her from stabbing another black teenage girl.
“Every case is different,” Casey told Charlamagne Tha God earlier this week, as reported by Page Six. “And in this case, if I pull up to a scene and see a girl chasing another girl about to stab a girl, my job as a police officer is to make sure that girl doesn’t get killed. And the law allows me to stop that killing or that stabbing by any means necessary. That’s what the law allows me to do, on both sides.”
People on social media were merciless in their attacks on Casey:
“yes, DJ Envy. you are, in fact, a coon. we’ve said this for years. thank you for finally getting with the program,” said one Twitter user.
yes, DJ Envy. you are, in fact, a coon. we’ve said this for years. thank you for finally getting with the program.
— cp. (@culta_klash) April 26, 2021
“Every time a police shooting happens dj envy corny ass always gotta remind everybody that his dad was a cop,” another said.
Every time a police shooting happens dj envy corny ass always gotta remind everybody that his dad was a cop
— 🙃 Blah 🙅🏾♂️ (@BxEBorn) April 26, 2021
“I seen the whole thing and still I don’t believe he would be saying that if it was his 16 year old daughter. What parent gone sit there and try to justify a police officer murdering they own child? that’s … in real life he would be sick,” said another.
I seen the whole thing and still I don’t believe he would be saying that if it was his 16 year old daughter. What parent gone sit there and try to justify a police officer murdering they own child? that’s 🧢 in real life he would be sick
— Princess Dej 🥀💃🏾😘 (@DejahRelentless) April 29, 2021
Speaking with Page Six, Casey said that the whole situation is tragic and that the system ultimately failed Ma’Khia Bryant.
“The whole situation is tragic and it’s sad because that system failed that young lady. The fact that she’s out there fighting at 16 with a grown woman,” he said. “The fact that the older man seen in the video would rather kick the girl on the ground and join the fight instead of stopping the fight, all these things come together and the system failed that girl and it is sad.”
“Everybody’s saying [the police] shoot first, but he possibly saved that [other girl’s] life … if she would’ve stabbed her, who knows if she would’ve lived. She could have got cut in the throat, in the face, we just don’t know what could happen,” he added.
Casey said that critics on social media do not hurt him and that he understands why people are upset.
“It doesn’t hurt me … because people are mad about what’s going on and I’m mad and upset as well,” Envy said. “But I know who’s on my side and who’s not. I know who tries to help the community and who doesn’t. We sit here and raise money every year for organizations that fight against this. I help our community with financial freedom and learning about buying their own homes, and their own investment properties. So people can have financial freedom so they can use their own money.”
“We should be able to have a conversation and dialogue. I did not sexually assault somebody. I wasn’t racist to someone,” he added. “I am just stating the facts, and what I see. I have had conversations with friends and celebrities who feel the same way, but they will not say so publicly because it is not a popular opinion and they are fearful of the backlash.”
Related: Cuomo, Lemon Double Down In Defense Of Officer Who Shot Ma’Khia Bryant