Ohio Police Officer Indicted in Shooting Death of Pregnant Black Woman

An Ohio police officer was indicted this week in the fatal shooting of a pregnant Black woman.

On Tuesday, a grand jury in Ohio's Franklin County indicted Blendon Township police officer officer Connor Grubb on charges including murder, involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Grubb was involved in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Ta'Kiya Young. She was pregnant at the time of the shooting, which occurred on August 24, 2023.

The incident stemmed from Young being suspected of shoplifting at a grocery store in Blendon Township. When police were notified of the suspicions, Officer Grubb and a colleague approached her vehicle. The other officer ordered her to step out, but instead, she rolled the car forward toward Grubb. He responded by firing a single shot through the windshield, hitting her in the chest. The baby she was expecting in three months did not survive.

In a video of the incident, Young is seen inside her car when she is notified by officers that she was suspected of shoplifting. She was ordered to step out of her vehicle, but she protested, prompting a verbal altercation between her and the two officers.

Young can be heard in the video asking, "Are you going to shoot me?"

The video shows Young turning her steering wheel to the right, causing the car to roll forward slowly. Grubb is then seen reaching for his firearm. Moments after the car came to a stop against the building, officers broke the driver's side window. Despite efforts by police to save her, Young was fatally wounded.

Young's family called for Grubb to be arrested and charged after viewing body camera footage of the incident. They described Grubb's actions as "gross misuse of power and authority," noting that the suspicions of shoplifting were only for a minor crime.

In a post to Facebook, Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford responded to the indictment, saying that the department hopes to be as "transparent" as possible with the community.

"Because we requested an outside investigation, Blendon Township played no role in the investigation, and we continue to believe you deserve to know as much information as we can provide. We are starting the disciplinary process immediately. After reviewing the facts, the trustees will decide on the necessary disciplinary actions," Belford said. "Ohio law and our contract with the FOP require us to take several administrative steps before we make any decisions."

Belford noted that he wanted to make it clear that the police department is "not passing any judgment on whether Officer Grubb acted properly."

"We haven't seen the evidence. However, since people who've been indicted may not legally posses a firearm, the indictment against him leaves us with no choice but to immediately begin the disciplinary process," the police chief said.