Ta’Kiya Young and Police Brutality: Was Justice Served?
Outrage and calls for responsibility have erupted following the shooting of Ta’Kiya Young, a Black woman who was pregnant, in Columbus, Ohio, by a police officer. Body camera footage that provides insight into the events preceding the shooting has recently been released, only 21 hours post-incident.
Ta’Kiya Young’s shooting incident is both sorrowful and alarming. The police officer who fatally shot her is being demanded to be charged by her family, as reported two days ago. Situated in Columbus, Ohio, the body camera footage was recently released after 20 hours. In the video, the police officer can be seen heading towards Ta’Kiya’s parked car on a driveway. He then asked for her license and registration, which she denied. Ta’Kiya was met by an officer who tried to pull her out of the car but ended up causing a struggle that resulted in Ta’Kiya’s death due to the officer’s weapon being fired.
Police officers’ use of force is troubling, as shown in the recently released body camera footage. The National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit, a resource for criminal justice professionals, has created a podcast series on police body cameras. Their model is founded on objectivity and suggests that the videos do the talking. However, the shooting of Ta’Kiya reveals that this is not always true. The officer and Ta’Kiya are seen in the footage struggling, but it is uncertain what provoked the use of deadly force. According to research, the utilization of energy by officers is not notably affected by the stopped individual’s race, the density of businesses, or the crime rate in the area where the stop occurred.
The societal implications of Ta’Kiya Young’s shooting underscore the importance of accountability in cases of police brutality. While racialized violence disproportionately affects individuals, its impact extends beyond them to entire communities and society. The deaths of Black Americans like George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, and now Ta’Kiya Young have ignited calls for reform and sparked a wave of protests. To ensure humane treatment for all, police brutality must be fought by both rank-and-file officers and police officials. It’s common knowledge that accountability is crucial in sound law enforcement practices. Acts of police brutality hinder this and can act as a detriment to upholding the law.
The tragic shooting of Ta’Kiya Young highlights the use of force by police officers and the demand for accountability. The societal implications of police brutality cannot be ignored, with body camera footage providing a troubling insight. Moving forward, we must work together to ensure the respectful treatment of all individuals. Enforcing change requires demanding accountability from those who protect us.
Originally published at https://original.newsbreak.com.
