Is this murder?

[Colonel Frank Grimes]

Blendon Township Police release body cam footage showing fatal shooting of Ta'Kiya Young

Link to article and video

I have mixed feelings but I believe the shooting was justified while acknowledging the cop put himself in danger without needing to do so.

How a cop is expected to engage:

Blendon Township also sent its use of force policy for the police department. The policy states the following about how officers should respond to a moving vehicle:

"When feasible, officers should take reasonable steps to move out of the path of an approaching vehicle instead of discharging their firearm at the vehicle or any of its occupants. An officer should only discharge a firearm at a moving vehicle or its occupants when the officer reasonably believes there are no other reasonable means available to avert the imminent threat of the vehicle, or if deadly force other than the vehicle is directed at the officer or others. Officers should not shoot at any part of a vehicle in an attempt to disable the vehicle."

Some other details:

* car didn't have a license plate
* parked in a handicap spot (closer to the store)
* Others had stolen booze too but then went in different directions and so got away

So there was obviously a plan to steal alcohol (of all things).

My belief is the cop should not have placed himself in front of the car. He should have placed himself at an angle to the car to cover his bro. By putting himself in front of the car, he's putting himself in unnecessary danger.

However, the fact of the matter is she purposely hit the gas while he was in front, and while he tried to move away, the car made contact and did lift him off his feet when he fired. So while he could have moved out of the way, everything was happening so fast that he reacted with the thought his life was in danger.

This is irrelevant to whether the cop was wrong or right but just to let you know what type person this woman was: her grandmother, who raised her, had a restraining order on her. She's shoplifted before. As I already pointed out, she was part of a group that planned a mass theft of alcohol.

She was pregnant. Unfortunately, she and the fetus died.

She created this situation, and while I think the cop could have been smarter about the situation I wouldn't be able to convict him because of a situation in the moment where a car literally lifted him off the ground and so naturally he's going to react.

[Catnip]

It might have gone differently if he hadn't fired.



No plates, illegally parked, pregnant, stealing alcohol - She obviously thought she was above the law.

Edit - I think he put himself in front of the car instinctively, when he saw that there was no licence plate, to prevent her from fleeing, which she attempted nevertheless.
Unfortunately, she is victim of her own poor decisions.

[Rogan]

No. Regardless of whether the cops used proper methods or not, she could have complied at any point during her interaction with them, but she decided not to.

[Ellethwyn]

If she were in my state she'd still be alive. The cops here coddle thieves.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes

[robertb]

Oh well, use a deadly weapon (car) against an officer and expect to be shot. If her fambly cared about her unborn child maybe they should have taught her not to steal and assault police officers.

[Hektor12]

Its sad what happened but this is %100 suicide by cop. You live in Usa, you know that you dont hit gas while cops are trying to get you out. At least stay still.

In my country, she wouldnt be dead, cops would chase her and try to stop without lethal force. But our police is weak, thats the reason.

[Your Old Comrade]

No. This may be a sad state of affairs and a full inquiry is needed, this isn't premeditated and thus isn't murder.

[robertb]

Don't know if Ohio is a stand your ground state, if so the officer does not have to retreat or move. Blacks are well known to argue with cops and refuse to obey orders and do stupid things like this. She turned a possible simple shoplifting charge into losing her life. Better to just comply and have your day in court.

[alnortedelsur]

No surprise when I found out about the race of that woman when watching the video. Many of them (per capita) acting like chimps without reasoning, and then they scream "racism" when police has to act though against them.

Not glad with what happened to her, and while she was pregnant (is a disgrace), but that's what she got for acting that stupid. She would still be alive, with just a court hearing or something like that, if she had just fucking obeyed the police when they told her to step out of the car.

The policeman might not have followed the right protocols, but that wasn't murder.

[Colonel Frank Grimes]

Its sad what happened but this is %100 suicide by cop. You live in Usa, you know that you dont hit gas while cops are trying to get you out. At least stay still.

In my country, she wouldnt be dead, cops would chase her and try to stop without lethal force. But our police is weak, thats the reason.

This is not a suicide by cop. She's dumb, and thought they wouldn't open fire. She was mocking them when she said, "Are you going to shoot me?"