COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ta'Kiya Young's family on Wednesday called for the termination of the Blendon Township police officer who fatally shot the pregnant 21-year-old woman in a Kroger parking lot last month.
Sean Walton, the family's attorney, said he is demanding accountability for the woman's death.
Young and her unborn child died on Aug. 24 after a Blendon Township officer shot Young through the windshield of a car in the Kroger parking lot on Sunbury Road. Before the shooting, an employee told two officers who were at the store for an unrelated matter that multiple people stole from the store, including Young. Walton has denied that she stole anything.
Walton said the officer, who has not been identified, violated the police department's use of force policy.
The policy states "shots fired at or from a moving vehicle involve additional consideration and risks and are rarely effective. When feasible, officers should take reasonable steps to move out of the path of an approaching vehicle instead of discharging the firearm at a vehicle or any of its occupants."
Mark Collins, the attorney representing the officer who shot Young, said no policy was violated.
The officer was standing in front of the vehicle when Young was sitting in the driver's seat and refused to get out. When Young put the car in gear and started driving away, the officer fired one shot, striking Young.
Walton said the officer created a sense of fear when he approached the vehicle, cursed at her and pulled out his gun.
Young's grandmother argues the officers should have de-escalated the situation.
"I believe he was a bully and he came at her like a bully and that scared her with that baby in her stomach," Nadine Young said.
In a statement issued after the release of the officers’ body camera footage, Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford said the department was “very limited” in what they could say about the incident due to the ongoing investigation and potential litigation.
The Ohio Bureau Criminal of Investigation is leading the investigation. 10TV reached out to Blendon Township police for a comment but they did not respond.
