Ohio officer acquitted of murdering pregnant woman suspected of shoplifting

November 21, 2025

An Ohio police officer, Connor Grubb, was found not guilty on all charges related to the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Ta'Kiya Young, who was approximately 25 weeks pregnant at the time. The incident occurred in August 2023 when officers confronted Young in a supermarket parking lot over suspected shoplifting, and bodycam footage captured her vehicle moving slowly toward Grubb before he fired his weapon. The jury unanimously acquitted Grubb of murder, felonious assault, and involuntary manslaughter charges after deliberating whether his use of force was reasonable given the circumstances.

Who is affected

Ta'Kiya Young (21-year-old woman who was killed)
Her unborn daughter (who also died)
Her two young children (left without a mother)
Nadine Young (Ta'Kiya's grandmother and family member)
The Young family overall
Connor Grubb (the police officer who was tried and acquitted)
The jury members who decided the case

What action is being taken

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing national debate about police use of force and accountability, particularly in situations involving unarmed civilians and minor offenses like shoplifting. The acquittal raises questions about when deadly force is considered "objectively reasonable" by legal standards, especially in a case where a pregnant woman and her unborn child lost their lives over a suspected theft. The verdict has significant implications for how similar cases may be judged in the future and affects public trust in law enforcement accountability.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC