Ta’Kiya Young was a 21-year-old pregnant Black woman who was fatally shot by a police officer in Blendon Township, Ohio, on August 24, 2023. She was accused of shoplifting at a Kroger grocery store and allegedly tried to flee in her car when the officer fired a single bullet through her windshield.
She died shortly after at a hospital, along with her unborn daughter. Her death sparked outrage and grief among her family and community, who demanded justice and accountability for the officer involved.
Age, Biography & Education
Ta’Kiya Monet’ Yvette Young was born on August 1, 2002, in Columbus, Ohio. She was the daughter of Timothy Young Sr. and Danneka Hope, who passed away in 2019. She had two sisters, Ta’Nyla Young and Ta’Laya Hope, and two brothers, Timothy Young Jr. and Lazarus Young Lawson. She also had a grandmother, Nadine Young, and a great-grandmother, Johnnie Rouse.
Ta’Kiya attended Eastmoor Sr High Columbus and Columbus State Community College. She worked as a customer service representative at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. She enjoyed cooking, dancing, and making TikTok videos. She was also a prankster who loved to make people laugh.
Ta’Kiya was a mother of two sons, Ja’kobie and Ja’kenlei, and was expecting a daughter in November 2023. She had a partner whose name is not publicly known. She was devoted to her children and family and had a vibrant spirit that touched many lives.
What happened to Ta’Kiya Young?
On August 24, 2023, around 6 p.m., Ta’Kiya was sitting in her car outside a Kroger store in Blendon Township, a suburb of Columbus. According to police, a store employee told two officers who were at the scene for an unrelated matter that several people were fleeing from the store with stolen items, including Ta’Kiya who had allegedly taken multiple bottles of alcohol.
One of the officers approached Ta’Kiya’s driver’s side window and told her to get out of the car. The other officer moved to the front of the vehicle with his gun drawn. Ta’Kiya refused to comply and denied stealing anything. She then put the car in gear and turned the wheel slightly as if to drive away.
The officer in front of the car yelled at her to stop and then fired one shot through the windshield, hitting Ta’Kiya in the chest. The car rolled onto a sidewalk and crashed into a building. The officers broke the window and pulled Ta’Kiya out of the car. They tried to perform CPR with the help of an emergency room doctor who happened to be nearby.
Ta’Kiya was taken to Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 6:28 p.m. Her unborn daughter also did not survive.
Parents & Siblings
According to the web search results, Ta’Kiya Young’s parents were Timothy Young Sr. and Danneka Hope. Her father is still alive, but her mother passed away in 2019. She had two sisters, Ta’Nyla Young and Ta’Laya Hope, and two brothers, Timothy Young Jr. and Lazarus Young Lawson. She also had a grandmother, Nadine Young, and a great-grandmother, Johnnie Rouse.
Ta’Kiya’s siblings, cousins, grandmother, and father have rallied around her sons, 6-year-old Ja’Kobie and 3-year-old Ja’Kenlie, who don’t yet understand the magnitude of what happened to their mother. They have hired an attorney, Sean Walton, who is seeking justice for Ta’Kiya and her unborn daughter who were killed by a police officer on August 24, 2023. They have also held vigils, protests, and rallies to honor Ta’Kiya’s memory and demand accountability for the officers involved.
How did Ta’Kiya Young’s family react?
Ta’Kiya’s family was devastated by her death and demanded justice for her and her baby. They hired an attorney, Sean Walton, who said that the shooting was unjustified and a gross misuse of power and authority by the officer.
The family also criticized the police for not releasing the body camera footage of the incident for more than a week. They said they wanted the public to see what happened and how Ta’Kiya was killed.
On September 1, 2023, the Blendon Township Police Department released the partially blurred video of the shooting. The family watched it before its public release and issued a statement saying that it confirmed their fears that Ta’Kiya was murdered unjustifiably.
The family called for the officer who shot Ta’Kiya to be fired and charged immediately. They also asked for an independent investigation by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice.
The family held a funeral service for Ta’Kiya on September 7, 2023, at The Marlan Gary Funeral Home in Columbus. They remembered her as a loving daughter, sister, mother, and friend who had a captivating personality and zest for living.
WIKI/BIO
| Name | Ta’Kiya Monet’ Yvette Young |
| Birthday | August 1, 2002 |
| Age | 21 (at the time of death) |
| Birthplace | Columbus, Ohio, America |
| Zodiac | Leo |
| Parents | Father: Timothy Young Sr. Mother: Danneka Hope (deceased) |
| Siblings | Sisters: Ta’Nyla Young and Ta’Laya Hope Brothers: Timothy Young Jr. and Lazarus Young Lawson |
| Husband | None |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Relationship | Partner (name unavailable) |
| Kids | Sons: Ja’kobie and Ja’kenlei Daughter: Unborn (deceased) |
| Career | Customer service representative at Cedar Point amusement park |
| Height | In feet: 5’ 2″ In centimeters: 157.48 cm In meters: 1.574 m |
| Weight | Kg: 67.2 Pounds: 148.1 lbs |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eyes Color | Brown |
| Education | Eastmoor Sr High Columbus Columbus State Community College |
| Alma Mater | None |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Nationality | American |
| kiya.young.790 | |
| Homepage | Dreshare.com |
Boyfriend, Relationship & Kids
According to the web search results, Ta’Kiya Young did not have a husband, but she had a partner whose name is not publicly known. She was the mother of two sons, Ja’kobie and Ja’kenlei, and was expecting a daughter in November 2023.
However, she and her unborn baby were killed by a police officer who shot her in the chest through her windshield on August 24, 2023. Her partner and sons are now being supported by her family, who are seeking justice for her death.
What is the status of the investigation?
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting. The BCI probe could take several weeks or months to complete. After the investigation is finished, the findings will be forwarded to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office which will decide whether to pursue any potential charges against the officer.
The officer who shot Ta’Kiya has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. His name has not been released by the police department. The other officer who was on the scene has returned to active duty.
The Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford said that he had reviewed the body camera footage and that it confirmed that the officer was directly in the path of the car when he fired. He also said that he was cooperating with the BCI and that he would not comment further until the investigation was over.
The Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents the officers, said that calls to charge the officer before the investigation is complete are premature and unfair. The union president Keith Ferrell said that the officer was acting in self-defense and that he followed his training and the law.
What is the impact of Ta’Kiya Young’s death?
Ta’Kiya’s death has sparked outrage and grief among her family and community, who have held vigils, protests, and rallies to honor her memory and demand justice. Her death has also drawn attention to the issue of police brutality and racial injustice against Black people in Ohio and across the nation.
Ta’Kiya’s death follows a series of fatal shootings of Black adults and children by Ohio police in recent years, such as Casey Goodson Jr., Andre Hill, Ma’Khia Bryant, and Tyre King. These incidents have prompted widespread protests and calls for police reform and accountability.
Ta’Kiya’s death has also raised questions about the use of deadly force by police, especially against pregnant women. According to a 2017 study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, pregnant women are more likely to be killed by police than to die from any other cause. The study also found that Black women are disproportionately affected by police violence during pregnancy.
Ta’Kiya’s death has also highlighted the need for more support and resources for pregnant women, especially those who are low-income, homeless, or struggling with addiction or mental health issues. According to Walton, Ta’Kiya was facing some challenges in her life and was trying to get help for herself and her children.
How can people help Ta’Kiya Young’s family?
People who want to help Ta’Kiya’s family can donate to their online fundraiser on GoFundMe, which aims to cover the funeral expenses and support Ta’Kiya’s sons. The fundraiser has raised over $10,000 as of September 9, 2023.
People can also sign a petition on Change.org, which calls for justice for Ta’Kiya and her baby and urges the authorities to fire and charge the officer who shot her. The petition has gathered over 15,000 signatures as of September 9, 2023.
People can also join or organize events to honor Ta’Kiya’s memory and demand justice for her and her family. Some of the events that have taken place or are planned include:
- A candlelight vigil on August 25, 2023, at Eastmoor Sr High Columbus, where Ta’Kiya attended school.
- A protest march on August 28, 2023, from Kroger to Blendon Township Police Department.
- A balloon release on August 29, 2023, at Eastmoor Sr High Columbus.
- A rally on September 4, 2023, at Blendon Township Police Department.
- A memorial service on September 7, 2023, at The Marlan Gary Funeral Home.
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