A bodycam video released by Ohio police in the United States shows a cop shooting a black pregnant woman as she refuses to leave the car. The incident took place on August 24 and 21-year-old Ta'Kiya Young died after being shot inside her car, as per a report in the New York Post. The police officers were questioning the woman about an incident of alleged theft, the outlet further said.
In the video shared by the Blendon Township Police Department, the woman is seen seated in her black sedan while an officer repeatedly asks her to "get out of the car". She questions why she should do the same and said "I'm not going to do that." The cop adds, "They said you stole stuff, do not leave." Ms Young replies, "I didn't do s***, the other girls was taking (stuff)".
One of the officers then stands in front of the car with his gun pulled and his left hand on the bonnet. He screams, "Get out of the f****** car!" Ignoring him, the 21-year-old accelerates and the officer fired a shot. Within a few seconds, the car is seen moving slowly through the parking lot before crashing into the brick wall of a grocery store. The police officers run behind the car asking the woman to "stop the goddamn car!" as they point a gun toward her driver's side window. The second officer tries but fails to unlock the door. He then smashes the half-opened glass window to gain access to Ms Young, who slumped over the car's centre console. Officers said they tried to save the mother of two and her unborn child, but neither survived the gunshot. She was due to give birth in November.
Ms Young's family said in a statement, "Having viewed the footage in its entirety, it is undeniable that Ta'Kiya's death was not only avoidable, but also a gross misuse of power and authority." They are seeking a criminal indictment of the officers.
The officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations is investigating the incident.
