Pregnant Black Woman, Suspect Of Shoplifting, Shot Dead By Ohio Police

World Edited by Updated: Sep 02, 2023, 3:52 pm
Pregnant Black Woman, Suspect Of Shoplifting, Shot Dead By Ohio Police

Pregnant Black Women Suspect of Shoplifting Shot Dead By Ohio Police (image-www.pixabay.com)

Ohio Police released a body camera footage of a fatal shooting of pregnant women Ta’Kiya Young, who was accused of shoplifting. Ta”Kiya Young, 21, died on August 24 when she was shot inside her car outside a Kroger grocery store in Blendon Township, a suburb of Columbus.

The police shot the young woman after she refused to exit her car and instead bumped the police officer with her vehicle, as per the video footage released.

The victim’s family has demanded the police officer to be held in accountable.

“A theft suspect drove her car into one of my officers and the officer fired a single shot through the windshield,” Blendon Police Chief John Belford said in a statement accompanying the release.

The police confronted Young after an employee accused that she was among several people who had shoplifted liquor from the store.

In the video, Young can be seen turning the wheels to the right, away from the officer, before the vehicle begins moving toward him. It pushes him back as he puts his left hand on the hood, with his gun drawn in his right hand. The vehicle strikes him in the leg as he fires one shot toward the windshield. The encounter lasted 25 seconds.

In a statement on Friday, Belford said the officers tried to provide first aid before paramedics arrived. Young was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Both the officers identities are not released yet and have been placed on an administrative leave.

This incident has sparked public anger and renewed calls for an end to deadly police violence in the United State.

The US has seen mass protest against police against and prevailing racism against the Blacks, including the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis.

Ramon Obey, lead organizer with the People’s Justice Project civil rights and advocacy group, said the incident showed “property was deemed more valuable than Black life.”

“Black women deserve more, this fatal encounter with the police cannot be minimized,” Obey said in a statement on Friday, calling for justice for Young and her unborn child.

A community rally will be held in Columbus on the weekend.