WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Family and friends are reeling after Ta'Kiya Young, 21, was shot and killed by police outside a Blendon Township Kroger on Thursday.
According to authorities in Blendon Township, police officers were helping a driver that was locked out of her car in the Kroger parking lot. As they were helping, they said a Kroger employee pointed out that someone who had stolen bottles of alcohol from the store was fleeing.
Police said store employees later reported that several suspects had been stealing items, but the other suspects got away in other cars. They said Young, who had been pointed out to the officer, was in a Lexus sedan with no license plate while parked in a handicapped spot in front of the store.
Police said one officer approached from the driver’s side and ordered Young to stop and get out of the car. She reportedly ignored the order, and instead, police said she put the car in gear and accelerated forward. The officer who was directly in the path of the oncoming car fired one shot through the front windshield.
Young died at St. Ann’s hospital.
Her friends told 10TV she'll be remembered as "the life of the party."
"She was a ball of energy. She was like a firecracker. Her personality is like second to none. So, she will truly be missed for her personality. I know her kids will miss her that's the saddest part of all of it," said Amari Gwinn. "I just wish something else could've been done to intervene with the situation."
She leaves behind two young sons. The Franklin County Coroner confirmed that she was pregnant with a third child when she died.