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Ohio officer reinstated to active duty after acquittal in fatal 2023 OIS

Blendon Township Officer Connor Grubb was cleared of murder charges in the officer-involved shooting of a woman who drove her car into him

TaKiya Young Officer Cleared

FILE - This still image from bodycam video released by the Blendon Township Police on Sept. 1, 2023, shows an officer pointing his gun at Ta’Kiya Young moments before shooting her through the windshield outside a grocery store in Blendon Township, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, on Aug. 24. The video was pixelated by the source. (Blendon Township Police via AP, File)

AP

BLENDON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Blendon Township trustees voted unanimously to reinstate Officer Connor Grubb to active duty following his acquittal in a 2023 fatal shooting, WOSU reported.

Grubb had been placed on paid administrative leave since November, shortly after a jury found him not guilty of murder and related charges in the shooting death Ta’Kiya Young, suspected of shoplifting and driving her car into Grubb.

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Body camera footage shows Young’s car moving forward and appearing to strike Grubb before he fired through the windshield.

Trustee April Zobel acknowledged community division over the decision and described the reinstatement as “difficult,” but said it aligned with legal standards and township policy, according to the report.

Grubb must complete a fitness-for-duty evaluation and any required recertifications before returning to work. Township officials said plans are in place to enhance police training beyond state requirements.

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Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com