A jury has acquitted Blendon Township police officer Connor Grubb of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felonious assault charges in the case concerning the death of 21-year-old Ta’Kiya Young. This decision was rendered on Friday morning after several days of jury deliberation.
Officer Grubb, who could have faced life in prison, remained composed as the verdict was announced. In stark contrast, Young’s grandmother, Nadine Young, could be heard sobbing and expressing her anguish, stating, “It’s not right! This is not right!” The atmosphere was charged with emotion, illustrating the community’s pain over the decision.
Sean Walton, an attorney representing the Young family, referred to the outcome as “an American tragedy,” highlighting what he perceives to be a flawed justice system that operates unequally in the United States. The legal team has committed to pursuing further action in civil court, having already filed a lawsuit against the township and its police chief over the department’s practices in August.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors argued that Ta’Kiya Young posed no threat at the time she was shot. In contrast, Grubb’s defense maintained that Young’s vehicle constituted a deadly threat when she accelerated it towards him, asserting that his response was “objectively reasonable” under the circumstances.
Evidence presented during the two-week trial included body camera footage of the incident, testimony from a use-of-force expert, vehicle accident reconstruction specialists, and police policy analysts. Notably, Officer Grubb did not take the stand; instead, his account was delivered via a statement read by a special agent from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The video footage depicted Young engaged in a dispute with another officer before Grubb intervened. It showed him positioning himself in front of her vehicle, drawing his weapon after she allegedly failed to follow commands. He claimed that when Young drove toward him, he felt the vehicle make contact with his legs, prompting him to fire a single shot through her windshield.
The tragic incident unfolded outside a Kroger grocery store in suburban Columbus, where Grubb and another officer approached Young’s vehicle following suspicions of shoplifting. As tensions escalated, both officers commanded Young to exit her vehicle, which led to her asking, “Are you going to shoot me?” As she slowly rolled forward, Grubb discharged his weapon, leading to her eventual death at the hospital along with her unborn daughter.
Judge David Young, who shares a surname with Ta’Kiya but is not related, dismissed four of the ten counts against Grubb that concerned the death of Young’s unborn child. The judge concurred with the defense that there was insufficient evidence to show that Grubb was aware of Young’s pregnancy at the time of the shooting.
As the story develops, it continues to evoke strong reactions and profound questions about justice, policing practices, and community safety.