Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio police officer who shot and killed 21-year-old Ta’Kiya Young was acquitted Friday on all charges, a verdict that left her family devastated and renewed concerns about police accountability in Franklin County. Young, a mother of two boys and pregnant with a daughter, was fatally shot in August 2023 during a confrontation in a Kroger parking lot after being accused of shoplifting. Police body camera video showed her attempting to drive away when Officer Connor Grubb fired a single fatal shot.
Young’s grandmother collapsed in the courtroom, shouting “It’s not right!” as the verdict was read. Attorney Sean Walton called the acquittal “an American tragedy,” arguing it reflects a dual justice system. The family plans to continue pursuing a civil lawsuit against Blendon Township and its police chief over department practices.
A Franklin County grand jury had indicted Grubb on multiple counts, including murder and involuntary manslaughter. His prosecution marked one of the rare instances in which a Franklin County officer was charged in the killing of a Black resident. Advocates say more than 3,800 Black people nationwide have been killed during encounters with law enforcement since 2013, with charges filed in only a small fraction of cases.
Community advocates noted that while indictments in recent cases brought a measure of hope, at least 17 other Black residents have been killed by law enforcement in the county since 2020 without charges. Walton said Young’s death reflected “unnecessary aggression” and the broader need for police reform.
Young’s two sons now live with their great-grandmothers. Her unborn daughter did not survive the shooting.
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