The fatal incident occurred on August 24, 2023, in the parking lot of a Kroger store. Ta’Kiya Young, who was 21 and pregnant, was suspected of shoplifting. As two officers, including Officer Connor Grubb, approached her vehicle, bodycam footage showed Young protesting orders to exit the car. The car then began to move forward in the direction of Officer Grubb, who fired a single shot through the windshield, killing Young.
Allegations of ‘Aggressive’ Policing and Lack of Training
The federal lawsuit, which seeks damages and an injunction against the department’s policies, makes a single claim of municipal liability, asserting that the Blendon Township Police Department fostered a pattern of “aggressive and racially-tinged police practices.”
Key claims in the lawsuit include:
* Failure to Train: The department allegedly failed to properly train its officers on de-escalation techniques and safe procedures for handling vehicle encounters.
* Excessive Force: The suit claims the department’s practices resulted in the unjustified excessive use of force, violating Young’s and her unborn child’s constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable and excessive force (Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments).
* Ignoring Officer Misconduct: The complaint alleges that Officer Grubb, who fired the fatal shot, had a history of “aggressive encounters with community members” and previous complaints—including physical intimidation and improper arrest—for which he received no meaningful discipline. The lawsuit argues that this history demonstrates a pattern of “deficiencies and deliberate indifference” by the township.
Blendon Township Police Officer Connor Grubb was indicted by a grand jury last year and is facing criminal charges, including murder, felonious assault, and involuntary manslaughter, for the shooting. Jury selection in his criminal trial has recently begun.
The family of Ta’Kiya Young had previously filed a separate wrongful death lawsuit against Officer Grubb, the Kroger Company, and an unnamed store employee in state court. The current federal lawsuit focuses on the systemic liability of the police department and its leadership, asserting that their policies created the environment for the tragedy to occur.
Blendon Township officials have previously acknowledged the death of Ta’Kiya Young as a “terrible tragedy,” and the Police Chief had requested an independent investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) shortly after the shooting.