Police in Ohio fatally shot a pregnant shoplifting suspect

A pregnant woman suspected of shoplifting was fatally shot by police in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. The incident occurred in a supermarket parking lot when the woman, identified as Ta’Kiya Young, 21 years old and a resident of Columbus, accelerated her car towards a police officer. The tragic event unfolded on Thursday evening in Blendon.

According to Blendon Police Chief John Belford, the situation began when a supermarket employee informed officers present at the store for an unrelated matter that several individuals were fleeing with stolen items. Among those individuals was Young, who was reported to have taken multiple bottles of alcohol. One officer positioned himself at the driver’s side of Young’s car and instructed her to halt, while another officer positioned in front of the vehicle.

In a swift turn of events, Young shifted her car into gear and accelerated forward, as relayed by Belford. The officer who was directly in the path of the vehicle fired a single shot through the car’s front windshield. The car traveled approximately 50 feet before coming to a halt on the sidewalk outside the store. Tragically, Young was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Her family informed The Columbus Dispatch that she was due to give birth in November, but her unborn daughter did not survive the shooting. Young was also a mother to two sons aged 6 and 3.

The investigation into this fatal shooting is being led by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, as confirmed by Chief Belford. At this time, the names of the two officers involved and additional details, such as their ages and racial backgrounds, have not been released. The officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is being investigated, which is standard protocol in such cases.

Although the incident was captured on police body camera footage, the release date of the video to the public remains uncertain as of Monday. The family of the deceased, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch, has expressed numerous concerns regarding the circumstances of the shooting, particularly questioning why she was considered a lethal threat.

Young’s grandmother, Nadine Young, expressed her viewpoint to the newspaper, stating, “She stole something from the store. You didn’t have to shoot the woman; she would have eventually gotten out of the car. You didn’t have to kill her and the baby.” The incident has raised significant questions about the use of force and the actions taken by law enforcement in this tragic incident.

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• Pregnant Woman Fatally Shot by Police in Ohio
• Blendon Police Department
• Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation
• Controversies Surrounding Police Shootings
• Use of Force Policies and Law Enforcement
• Legal Considerations in Police Shootings