The family of a young woman from Ohio is demanding the immediate release of all footage of her Aug. 24 death after being shot by a police officer.
Ta’Kiya Young, a 21-year-old pregnant woman, was shot in a Kroger store parking lot in Blendon Township after officers were told about a woman shoplifting alcohol from the store.
According to local ABC affiliate WSYX, an employee reportedly told the officers about the woman, who then went to confront her. Blendon Police Chief John Belford said Young was in a car with no license plate in the handicapped spot in front of the store.
Officers repeatedly ordered Young out of her car, according to Bedford, but she instead placed her vehicle in motion and accelerated toward an officer, who fired through the front windshield, striking her. Young was transferred to a nearby hospital and died. Her unborn child died as well.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Young’s family attorney, Sean Walton, disputed that Young was committing theft at the time police arrived, claiming that a witness had come forward and said that she did not remove the alcohol from the store. He also claimed that police have weaponized Marsy’s Law, which is supposed to protect crime victims.
“We have to understand how unfair this process is and why we have to push for accountability,” Walton said. “… The only victims here are Ta’Kiya and her unborn child.”
Regarding the release of police body cam video of the incident, Chief Belford said that the footage will be made public by this Friday after legal reviews and redactions and once the family has had the opportunity to see it Friday morning.
“It shouldn’t have ever, ever, ever happened,” said Young’s grandmother, Nadine Young. “She shouldn’t be gone. It was just wrong.”