A grand jury has indicted Blendon Township Police Officer Connor Grubb on murder charges for the fatal shooting of Ta’Kiya Young, an unarmed Black woman he confronted in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store in August 2023.
NBC News reported that Grubb has been indicted on four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Legal representatives for Young’s family described the indictment as a “solemn victory in the pursuit of justice” for the mother,
who was pregnant with a daughter. “The grand jury’s decision, fortunately, reflects the community’s collective conscience, recognizing this tragedy for what it truly is — a murder that demands empathy and justice,” the law firm stated.As previously mentioned by BLACK ENTERPRISE, video footage of the Aug. 24 shooting revealed the moment Ta’Kiya Young was shot and killed inside her vehicle by the Columbus law enforcement officer, an incident that escalated after police responded to suspicion that the mother stole from the store. The woman was approached by Grubb and a second officer in the parking lot before she was ordered to exit her Lexus. According to NBC News
, one officer allegedly banged and grabbed onto her car window. With his gun already pointed toward her, Grubb shot through the windshield as she attempted to drive away.BE noted that additional footage was released in September 2023 by the Blendon Township (Ohio) Police Department, which showed the woman inside Kroger allegedly stuffing bottles of alcohol into her purse and setting off alarms after standing in line for a moment.
During a news briefing on Tuesday, Nadine Young, the victim’s 61-year-old grandmother, shared that she has been left to care for the woman’s three- and six-year-old sons. She noted that the baby with whom her granddaughter was pregnant, would have been born in November. “It’s been, for me, agony,” Nadine said. “It’s been like a whirlwind of just hurt and pain.”
Young’s family attorney, Sean Walton, said the confrontation spiraled due to Grubb’s actions and failure to properly de-escalate the situation. “…That’s why Ta’Kiya was murdered,” he said.
Walton suggested Grubb be terminated immediately, and Nadine, who called Grubb a “bully with a badge,” said she wants the officer sentenced to prison for life.
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