Officer acquitted in death of Ta’Kiya Young, a pregnant Black mother accused of shoplifting

COLUMBUS Ohio AP An Ohio officer who shot and killed a pregnant Black mother in a supermarket parking lot after she was accused of shoplifting has been acquitted of all charges including murder Blendon Township police officer Connor Grubb could have faced up to life in prison The Blendon Township police officer had pleaded not guilty to murder involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault in the death of -year-old Ta Kiya Young Bodycam recordings indicated Young refusing to exit her car and then turning her steering wheel to the right before her car began slowly rolling forward against the body of Grubb who fired one shot into her chest through the windshield Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David Young no relation to Ta Kiya dropped four of counts relating to the death of Young s unborn daughter agreeing with defense attorneys that prosecutors failed to present proof that Grubb knew Young was pregnant when he shot her Jurors were shown the bodycam video on the first day of the two-week trial and heard testimony from a use-of-force expert an accident reconstructionist a police procedures expert and Sgt Erick Moynihan the officer who with Grubb had ordered Young out of her car They never heard from Grubb whose side of the story was contained in a written comment read into the record by a special agent for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Scrutiny He attended the trial but prosecutors were unable to question him directly Grubb and Moynihan had approached Young s parked car on Aug about a description that she was suspected of stealing alcohol from a Kroger store in the Columbus suburb She partially lowered her window and protested as both officers cursed at her and yelled at her to get out Bodycam video demonstrated Grubb had his left hand on the car s hood while pointing his gun at her with his right Young could be heard asking them Are you going to shoot me Then she put on a turn signal and her car rolled slowly forward toward Grubb who fired a single bullet into her chest the recording established In the comment Grubb declared he had positioned himself in front of Young s motorcycle to provide backup and to protect other people in the parking lot He mentioned he drew his gun after he heard Young fail to comply with Moynihan s commands When she her car moved toward him he noted he felt the automobile hit his legs and shins and begin to lift his body off the ground as he shot Moments later after the car came to a stop against the building they broke the driver s side window Police stated they tried to save her life but she was mortally wounded Young and her unborn daughter were pronounced dead at a hospital A full-time officer with the township since Grubb was placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting Young had two young sons ages and who are being raised by Ta Kiya s grandmother Nadine Young Attorney Sean Walton representing her family recounted the AP shortly after the shooting that Young had not stolen anything He explained his law firm unveiled a witness who saw Young put down bottles of alcohol as she left the grocery store The bottles were left in the store Walton disclosed So when she s in her car denying that that s accurate She did not commit any theft and so these officers were not even within their right to place her under arrest let alone take her life Source