WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) — One month after filing a civil lawsuit through the Franklin County court system, the estate of a pregnant woman who was fatally shot by a Blendon Township police officer has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the township itself and its police chief.
According to documents within United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, the estate of Ta’Kiya Young is suing Blendon Township and Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford. The suit alleges that the department displayed a consistent and systemic failure to properly train and supervise its officers on the proper use of force, as well as a failure to properly discipline officers engaged in excessive force and other misconduct.
Young, 21, was shot and killed by Officer Connor Grubb on Aug. 24, 2023, in a Kroger parking lot on South Sunbury Road after Young, who was pregnant, was suspected of shoplifting. After Grubb and another officer approached her vehicle, Grubb stood in front of the car and shot Young as the car moved forward.
Grubb has been charged with killing Young and her unborn child and was indicted in August 2024. He is currently out on bond and is scheduled to begin his trial in November. He was placed on paid administrative leave last September.
Ta'Kiya Young. (Courtesy Photo/Sean Walton)The lawsuit argues that the township and Belford deprived Young and her unborn child of their civil rights, that a department culture's alleged excessive force is tolerated, and that it has a history of complaints against officer Grubb.
Additionally, it accuses the Blendon Township Police Department of having a “well-known community reputation of aggressive and racially tinged policing practices resulting in unjustified excessive use or force in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.”
The lawsuit sites previous incidents involving Grubb, including a June 2023 complaint involving the alleged harassment of a minor, intimidation of a woman, failed court appearances leading to dismissed prosecutions and policy violations after the alleged officer-involved shooting.
Ohio launches ‘first-in-nation’ AI chatbot that allows users to report suspicious activityA spokesperson for Blendon Township said in a statement issued to NBC4 that, “Ta’Kiya Young’s death was a terrible tragedy. As we’ve said previously, Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford correctly asked the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) to conduct an independent investigation, and we still don’t have access to any of the evidence from that investigation. We publicly released the body worn camera video quickly to be as transparent with the public as we could. Our attorneys will defend the township in court as the legal process continues.”
The family of Young also filed a civil suit in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in August against Grubb, alleging “wrongful death, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress,” according to the counsel representing the family. The complaint also said that the family is suing Kroger and an unnamed employee, claiming the employee that made police aware of Young violated policy.
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