On Friday, body camera footage was made public, revealing the tragic incident that occurred on August 24 in Blendon Township, Ohio.
The video shows a police officer fatally shooting a pregnant 21-year-old woman, Ta'Kiya Young, who was confronted in her car outside a Kroger supermarket. Young was accused by store employees of shoplifting alcohol.
In the footage, two officers can be seen approaching Young's vehicle, repeatedly instructing her to exit the car. Young, seemingly confused, asks the officer, "For what?" The officer responds by accusing her of theft, an allegation she denies.
The situation escalates when one of the officers draws his firearm and places his hand on the hood of the car. Young, visibly frightened, asks the officer, "you going to shoot me," before she begins to drive away. The officer then fires his weapon through the windshield.
Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford, in a previous statement, confirmed that officers and a passing emergency room physician immediately provided medical assistance to Young. However, she later succumbed to her injuries at St. Ann's Hospital, the nearest medical facility to the scene of the incident.
In a press release accompanying the video, Chief Belford described the incident as a "tragedy." He expressed his condolences to Young's family, stating, "Ms. Youngs family is understandably very upset and grieving." He further urged the community to remember the family in their prayers and to respect their need for privacy during this difficult time.
Young's family released a statement saying, "TaKiyas death was not only avoidable but also a gross misuse of power and authority." They added, "As if the pain of losing TaKiya isnt enough, we must grapple with the knowledge that her unborn daughter was also robbed of her life in this hateful act.
NBC 4 reported that the Blendon Township police department declined to identify the officers involved, citing Marsy's Law, which protects victims of crime from disclosure. The officer who shot Young is being treated as a victim of attempted vehicular assault, while the other officer is considered a victim of misdemeanor assault as his arm was in the driver's window when Young drove off.
Young's family is demanding that the officer who shot her be indicted, stating, "Officers of the law take an oath to protect human life, and in instances where they unjustly rob families of their loved ones, they must be held accountable.
The city is reportedly preparing for potential unrest, with barricades being erected around the state house, as reported by The Post Millennial senior editor Andy Ngo.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is currently investigating the incident. Brian Steel, Executive Vice President of the Fraternal Order of Police, clarified, "Ms. Young was not shot for stealing alcohol." He continued, "She was shot because following an aggravated robbery, she tried to run down a fellow human being. Ms. Young chose to accelerate her vehicle directly into the path of an officer.
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