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…