Ohio police shooting Ta'Kiya Young pregnant black woman, outside a Kroger grocery store in Blendon Township
A detailed account of the bodycam video:
- Footage reveals officers questioning Ms. Young for alleged shoplifting outside a local grocery store.
- An officer standing in front of her car fires directly towards her as she appears to drive towards him.
- The video shows the officers interacting with Ms Young for about a minute before a shot is fired.
- The same officer is seen standing at her door and repeatedly instructing her to exit the vehicle.
- Ms. Young refuses and questions if she's going to be shot, moments later a shot is fired.
- Upon the car rolling into a brick wall, officers are seen breaking her window.
- Although officers claim to have attempted medical aid, Ms. Young and her unborn child do not survive.
Reactions to the shooting:
Blendon Police Chief John Belford, in a statement, termed the incident a "tragedy", acknowledging the grief of Ms. Young's family and calling for them to be given space to cope.
Both officers involved were initially placed on administrative leave. However, the officer at the car window has since returned to duty, while the one who fired the shot remains on leave.
Ms. Young's family, after viewing the video, deemed the shooting a "clearly avoidable criminal act."
The Blendon Township police department has requested the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation to probe into the shooting.
Who was Ta'Kiya Young?
A 21-year-old mother of two boys, aged six and three, Ms. Young was expecting her third child in November.