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In Columbus, Ohio, the murder trial of a police officer involved in the shooting of a pregnant Black woman in a supermarket parking lot is nearing its conclusion, with closing arguments scheduled for Wednesday.
Prosecutors argue that 21-year-old Ta’Kiya Young posed no threat when she was fatally shot. Meanwhile, defense lawyers for Officer Connor Grubb of the Blendon Township Police contend that Young’s vehicle presented a deadly threat when she accelerated toward the 31-year-old officer, justifying his actions as “objectively reasonable” under the circumstances.
Grubb faces charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felonious assault in the August 24, 2023, incident, potentially leading to a life sentence. On Tuesday, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David Young, who is not related to Ta’Kiya, dismissed four of the ten charges against Grubb. These dismissed charges were connected to the death of Young’s unborn child, as the judge agreed with the defense that there was no evidence Grubb was aware of Young’s pregnancy at the time of the shooting.
The trial, which lasted about two weeks, concluded its evidentiary phase on Tuesday. Jurors viewed body camera footage of the shooting early in the proceedings, and heard from various experts, including those specializing in use-of-force, accident reconstruction, and police policy, as well as testimony from the officer who was with Grubb during the incident.
Grubb did not testify in person; instead, his account was presented through a written statement read by a special agent from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Sean Walton, an attorney representing Young’s family, Nadine Young, Ta’Kiya’s grandmother, and an aunt, Michelle White, said they expected Grubb to take the stand.
“It is curious that he did not testify. But the video speaks for itself and if he wants the video to speak for him, then so be it,” Walton said.
Young and White appeared emotionally tired while taking questions from reporters Tuesday. White said that the verdict will allow the family “to finally be able to start the healing process.” At various times, Nadine held back tears while talking about the toll of the trial.
“I just gotta hold on to God and just know, God, he’s in control,” Nadine said.
In the body camera footage, the officer said he observed Young arguing with his fellow officer and positioned himself in front of her vehicle to provide backup and to protect other people in the parking lot. He said he drew his gun after he heard Young fail to comply with his partner’s commands. When she drove toward him, he said in the statement, he felt her car hit his legs and shins and begin to lift his body off the ground.
Grubb and another officer approached Young’s car outside a Kroger in suburban Columbus about a report that she was suspected of stealing alcohol from the store. She partially lowered her window, and the other officer ordered her out. Instead, she rolled her car forward toward Grubb, who fired a single bullet through her windshield into her chest, video footage showed.
The video showed an officer at the driver’s side window telling Young she was accused of shoplifting and ordering her out of the car. Young protested, and both officers cursed at her and yelled at her to get out. Young could be heard asking them, “Are you going to shoot me?”
Then she turned the steering wheel to the right, the car rolled slowly forward and Grubb fired his gun, footage showed. Moments later, after the car came to a stop against the building, they broke the driver’s side window. Police said they tried to save her life, but she was mortally wounded. Young and her unborn daughter were subsequently pronounced dead at a hospital.
A full-time officer with the township since 2019, Grubb was placed paid administrative leave after the shooting.