Bodycam footage shows fatal shooting of pregnant Black woman by Ohio police
CBSSep 01, 2023
Video Released of Ohio Police Fatally Shooting Pregnant Black Woman
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Image copyright: Raymond Wambsgans [via Wikimedia Commons]
The Facts
Police in Ohio released bodycam footage on Friday showing an officer fatally shooting a pregnant Black woman in a grocery store parking lot in Blendon Township, Ohio, on Aug. 24.
The video shows two officers telling Ta'Kiya Young, 21, to get out of her car. In the footage, she repeatedly asks why and attempts to pull out of her parking spot before one of the officers fires a shot.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Nothing Young did justifies this fatal shooting. Yes, Young could have exited her vehicle when told to by police. But it's not surprising that Young was fearful due to the officers' aggressive commands and a long history of brutal police discrimination against Black people in the US. Police have a duty to mitigate harm, and they had many options other than shooting through the windshield to do so in this incident. These officers must be held accountable
Pro-establishment narrative
This shooting is a tragedy for everyone involved: Young, her family and friends, and the two officers. Nobody wins when an officer uses a firearm while on duty and lives are lost. The officers were acting with the information they had at the time and reacting to the threat of being run over after Young failed to respond to their directions. The fact that the police department released the footage shows their commitment to transparency and accountability.
