A pregnant Black woman was fatally shot by an officer in the parking lot of an Ohio grocery store two weeks ago after she refused to get out of her car and instead hit him with it, according to body camera footage released by the Ohio police department on Friday.
After the family of Ta’Kiya Young, 21, called for the officer who fired the fatal shot to be held accountable, a video of the event in Blendon Township on August 24 was released.
The Incident
Attempts to question her for alleged shoplifting are captured on camera. The footage, which was made public on Friday, shows a cop firing directly at her as she looks to be driving in his direction. The officer was standing in front of her car.
Before the shot is fired, the two policemen can be seen interacting with Ms. Young for nearly a minute in the footage. She is repeatedly told to “get out of the car” by one cop as he stands at her door.
She repeatedly asks, “For what?” after that stating, “I’m not going to do that.” One of the officers can be seen standing in front of the car with his gun pulled and his left hand resting on the hood.
One of the officers is seen standing in front of the car with his gun pulled and his left hand on the hood. She asked if they were going to shoot her just as the officer fired one shot and dashed out of the way of the car.
After the car collides with a brick wall next to the store’s entrance, officers can then be seen shattering her glass. Officers claim they made an effort to administer medical care, but the two-parent mother and her unborn child did not survive the shooting.
Statement of the Ohio Police Department
“This was tragic. It is understandable that Ms. Young’s family would be devastated and in mourning,” according to Blendon Police Chief John Belford’s statement on Friday. “We can all remember them in our prayers and give them the time and space to process this heartbreaking turn of events,” he said. “While none of us can truly comprehend the depths of their suffering.”
Both cops, who have not been named, were in the parking lot to respond to a different call. After the shooting, they were both given administrative leave.
The officer who was leaning against the car window has been sent back to work, but the officer who fired the shot is still on paid leave.
Ta’Kiya Young: Mother of two
Her death, according to a statement made by the family’s attorney Sean Walton, was “not only avoidable, but also a gross misuse of power and authority.”
The Associated Press was informed by Walton that Ta’Kiya’s family was “devastated.” “The video did nothing but confirm their fears that Ta’Kiya was murdered unjustifiably… and it was just heartbreaking for them to see Ta’Kiya having her life taken away under such ridiculous circumstances.”
He told The Guardian, “She was an unarmed pregnant mother of two.” It goes beyond what is unreasonable.
In November, Young was due to give birth to a daughter. Online fundraising for her burial costs has reached almost $7,000 so far.
Ja’Kobie, 6, and Ja’Kenlie, 3, have received support from Ta’Kiya’s siblings, cousins, grandmother, and father even though they are too young to comprehend the gravity of what happened to their mother, according to Walton.
Ta’Kiya has been taken from them, and it’s a big family, Walton added, “The whole family is still in disbelief.”
A day after Young was killed, family members and friends held a private vigil, releasing balloons and lighting candles to spell out “RIP Kiya.”
Her grandmother Nadine Young described her granddaughter as a lovable older sister and mother who enjoyed playing practical jokes on the family.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Nadine Young stated, “She was so excited to have this little girl.” Although she already has two young boys, she was ecstatic to meet this girl. She will be sorely missed. She admitted that she was in a mess and that the tragedy should have never taken place at all.
