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A police officer accused of capturing a pregnant girl in Ohio has been charged along with her homicide.
Ta’Kiya Young, 21, was round 25 weeks pregnant on the time of her demise final August. Her unborn daughter additionally died within the police capturing.
On Tuesday, a grand jury within the metropolis of Columbus discovered adequate proof to file expenses towards Blendon Township police officer Connor Grubb for homicide, involuntary manslaughter and assault.
Bodycam video of the deadly encounter launched final 12 months confirmed police trying to cease Ms Young from driving away so they might query her about alleged shoplifting.
In the video she appeared to drive towards the officer who fired the deadly shot as he commanded her to exit the automobile.
Ms Young was suspected of shoplifting alcohol from a Kroger grocery retailer, investigators say.
Lawyers for Mr Grubb mentioned he fired in self-defence.
“When viewed through the eyes of a reasonable police officer, the evidence will show that our client’s actions were justified, when there is video evidence that Officer Grubb was being hit by a moving vehicle,” mentioned his legal professionals Mark Collins and Kaitlyn Stephens.
The native chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) labour union on Tuesday slammed the indictment as “politically motivated”.
“We stand firm in advocating for an impartial justice system that focuses on truth and facts, not politics,” mentioned chapter president Brian Steel.
“Like all law enforcement officers, Officer Grubb had to make a split-second decision, a reality all too familiar for those who serve to protect our communities,” he additionally mentioned, including selections are sometimes made underneath “extreme pressure and often in life-threatening situations”.
Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford mentioned in a video assertion that it was instantly starting a disciplinary course of the place it might evaluation the info after which determine the perfect plan of action towards the officer.
“I want to be very clear: We’re not passing any judgment on whether Officer Grubb acted properly. We haven’t seen the evidence,” Chief Belford mentioned.
A lawyer representing Ms Young’s household, Sean Walton, known as the arrest “a solemn victory in the pursuit of justice” and “yet another symbol of the urgent need for reform in police conduct and accountability”.
“The actions that led to the demise of Ta’Kiya — the pointless aggression, the chilling instructions that amounted to ‘comply or die’ — have been there for us all to witness in dreadful readability,” he said.
Ms Young’s grandmother, Nadine Young, told CBS News that the past year has been very difficult for the family, including Ms Young’s two young sons.
“It’s been agony, it has been like a whirlwind of harm and ache,” she said.
Video from the 24 August 2023 encounter shows the two officers speaking with Ms Young for about one minute before the shot is fired.
Both officers were in the car park for an unrelated call.
Ms Young was the mom of two boys, aged six and three. She was on account of give delivery in November.
