An Ohio police department released body camera footage Friday (Sept. 1) of a police officer fatally shooting a pregnant black woman in a grocery store parking lot after she refused to get out of her car.
Video of the Aug. 24 incident in Blendon Township followed a demand by the family of 21-year-old Takia Young that the officer who fired the fatal shooting be held accountable.
We demand accountability
“A robbery suspect attacked one of my officers in his car and he fired a single shot through the windshield” Blendon Police Chief John Belfort said in a statement accompanying the publication.
But Sean Walton, an attorney for Young’s family, said he was a victim. “We are responsible for two precious lives: Takiya and her unborn daughterHe said at a press conference on Thursday, August 31. Walton was not available for comment Friday.
In the United States, Young’s death is one of the latest high-profile cases of police officers accused of using excessive force in the deaths of blacks and other minorities, prompting calls for reforms in the justice system.
The investigation is ongoing
Police confronted Young after an employee said he was one of the people who stole alcohol from the store. Video released Friday shows a police officer standing next to Young’s vehicle as he repeatedly orders her to get out. A second officer walks around the front of the vehicle and points a gun at the windshield, demanding she get out.
The youth can be seen turning the wheels to the right, away from the officer, before the vehicle starts moving towards him. This forces him back as he places his left hand on the hood and draws his gun with his right hand. He was shooting at the mirror when the vehicle hit his leg. The encounter lasted 25 seconds. The young man later died at a nearby hospital. Her baby girl did not survive.
The Ohio State Department of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation.
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