Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Franklin County grand jury has indicted the Blendon Township police officer who fatally shot a pregnant woman in a grocery store parking lot as she inched her car toward him.

Officer Connor Grubb is facing murder charges in the deaths of Ta'Kiya Young, 21, and her unborn daughter in August 2023. According to court records, he is being charged with four counts each of murder and felonious assault and two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

A warrant for Grubb's arrest was issued Tuesday morning and an arraignment hearing is set for 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Ta'Kiya Young. (Courtesy Photo/Sean Walton)

Young was caught on camera stealing several bottles of liquor with two others and exiting the store when Grubb, 29, and another officer, who happened to be there helping a person get into their locked car, were flagged down by a store employee. The other officer asked Young multiple times to get out of her car as Grubb moved in front of it. When Young began to pull out of her parking spot, the bag of liquor bottles still over her shoulder, Grubb fired through the windshield as he fell onto the hood.

The car rolled until it hit the grocery store building. Body camera footage from the officers showed her foot still on the gas as they opened the door, as well as the full encounter with her beforehand and their attempts to keep her alive afterward until she was taken to a hospital, where she and her unborn child died.

In the days that followed, demonstrations against police took place in the parking lot and Blendon Township asserted that it couldn't even identify the officers involved, saying they deserved the protections of crime victims under the Ohio version of Marsy's Law. Attorneys retained by Young's survivors eventually named Grubb as the investigation continued.

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Through attorneys, Young's family called the indictment a "solemn victory."

"The actions that led to the death of Ta’Kiya — the unnecessary aggression, the chilling commands that amounted to 'comply or die' — were there for us all to witness in dreadful clarity," a statement read. "Ta'Kiya’s life and that of her daughter were extinguished in an act of brutality, becoming yet another symbol of the urgent need for reform in police conduct and accountability.

Chief John Belford said Blendon Township police will begin a disciplinary review of Grubb because the indictment means he cannot legally possess a firearm.

"No one at Blendon Township has passed any judgment on whether Officer Grubb acted within the law," Belford said.

And the Fraternal Order of Police lodge that represents local officers expressed disappointment.

"Grubb had to make a split-second decision," Lodge President Brian Steel, a lieutenant with Columbus police, said. "These decisions are made under extreme pressure and often in life-threatening situations, with the primary goal of safeguarding the general public's and their own lives."

After the shooting, the release of details in the shooting played out over several days.

Security footage as well as police body cameras showed the incident unfold, beginning from when Young was seen placing liquor bottles into a shopping basket, then transferring them later into a shoulder bag. She then walked out of the store with two other women without paying for the items, setting off an alarm.

A store employee came outside and pointed out Young to the police officers.

Blendon Township police officer Connor Grubb

As seen in footage released Sept. 1, one officer went to Young’s driver’s side window and ordered her out of the car multiple times as Grubb stepped in front of the car and pulled out his handgun. Young told the officer, “I didn’t steal s---,” and, “What, are you going to shoot me?” seconds before she began to pull her car forward, lifting Grubb off the ground.

Grubb, who was identified publicly by Young’s family attorney Sean Walton, fired one shot through the windshield, striking Young, and the car rolled about 50 feet before hitting the store wall.

Grubb, said multiple times that Young “was going to run me over.”

The extended footage from the officers’ body cameras showed that as they tried to pull Young out, her foot was still on the gas, causing the car to lurch forward and Young to fall to the ground.

Grubb then ran to his squad car to retrieve a chest seal. A passerby wearing an OhioHealth shirt identified himself as an emergency room physician and helped for several minutes. After the chest seal was applied, the doctor said he couldn’t locate a pulse, and the other officer began CPR. A rotation of responding officers kept up chest compressions until medics arrived about 12 minutes after the shot was fired.

Blendon Township police classified both officers involved as assault victims because the other officer’s hand was still in the window when Young started driving, and her car struck Grubb.

• (NBC4 Photo/Kyle Beachy)
• Body camera footage of a Blendon Township police officer fatally shooting 21-year-old Ta'Kiya Young outside a Kroger on Aug. 24, 2023. (Courtesy Photo/Blendon Township Police Department)
• Body-worn camera footage from Blendon Township police of the fatal shooting of Ta'Kiya Young on Aug. 23, 2023
• (NBC4 Photo/Kyle Beachy)
• (NBC4 Photo/Kyle Beachy)
• In this photo released by the Young Family via their family attorney, Ta'Kiya Young is pictured with her sons, Ja'Kobie, right, and Ja'Kenlie, left, in an undated photo. Young was shot and killed on Aug. 24, 2023, by Blendon Township police outside an Ohio supermarket. (Courtesy of Young Family/Walton + Brown LLP via AP)
• Ta'Kiya Young. (Courtesy Photo/Sean Walton)

Brian Steel of the Fraternal Order of Police said Young was not shot for stealing alcohol but because, “following an aggravated robbery, she tried to run down a fellow human being. … Ms. Young chose to accelerate her vehicle directly into the path of an officer.”

The officers were therefore afforded victim’s rights under Marsy’s Law, which included not releasing their names. Ryan Stubenrauch, an attorney who serves as the spokesman for Blendon Township police, told NBC4 that the department had considered withholding Young’s name as well but chose not to because Young had been publicly identified by the coroner and her family.

An investigation began shortly after the shooting, and it concluded in December after Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck was appointed special prosecutor in the case. A decision was made to convene a grand jury.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio announced it will launch the “first-ever” statewide human trafficking hotline.

At the fifth annual Human Trafficking Summit in Columbus on Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost revealed a statewide human trafficking hotline, with the phone number 844-END-OHHT (844-363-6448). The service will funnel incoming tips on suspected sex and labor trafficking directly to the appropriate law enforcement entities. 

The summit was attended by survivors, social workers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, lawyers, prosecutors, judges and other community stakeholders who work to end human trafficking in Ohio.

“It’s simple: the more we know, the more we can do to help,” Yost said. “We need to keep pushing these efforts forward so that, every day, those who buy sex or compel another’s labor know that we’re coming for them.”

A national human trafficking hotline, with the number 888-373-7888, was created in 2007. The service connects victims with support services, as well as receives tips about potential human trafficking situations and reports that information to the appropriate authorities. 

The national line is run by Polaris, a nonprofit, non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be reached by phone, text, webchat, email or webform in over 200 languages.

Since its inception, the hotline has received about 432,902 communications, identifying 100,891 cases of human trafficking and 197,000 victims, according to its website. When it comes to Ohio, the national hotline has received 12,953 signals from the state, identifying 3,630 cases and 6,825 victims.

Ohio ranks among the top 10 states for number of calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, according to Yost. Ohio has one of the largest interstate systems in the nation, making it easier for traffickers to transport victims, the Ohio Turnpike states.

The Ohio hotline will go live later this year; Yost did not specify a date. His office told NBC4 it is not ready to share further information, such as if the hotline will be available 24/7 and who will work it, at this time because details are still being finalized.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As back-to-school dates approach, morning and afternoon traffic will see an uptick in yellow school buses. Here's what drivers need to know.

Per Ohio law, school buses should be equipped with lights and stop signs that are extended when a bus stops. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop if they see a moving school bus flash its lights or indicate it will stop soon.

On roads with fewer than four lanes, if a school bus stops, so should you. According to Ohio law, vehicles must stop at least 10 feet from the front or rear of a school bus. The rule applies to both directions of traffic as long as a street if there are three lanes of traffic or fewer. For four lanes or more, opposite traffic can continue moving, but traffic going the same direction as the school bus needs to stop.

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Although lights and signs are a good indicator and are typically used by bus drivers, Ohioans on the road should be vigilant anytime they see a school bus. If a bus driver fails to deploy its stop sign or flash its lights when it should, drivers are still liable if they do not stop.

Drivers must remain stopped until they know for certain children are safely off the street and school bus lights stop flashing. Although many states allow drivers to resume their routes once the lights are turned off, Ohio law says drivers can't go until the school bus does or they are signaled ahead by the bus driver.

From 2018 to August 2023, Ohio State Highway Patrol said they issued over 16,000 citations for passing a stopped school bus or other school zone violations.

According to the Ohio Revised Code, anyone who violates this law can receive a fine of up to $500. Offenders can also risk having their license suspended for up to one year, and two points assessed to it as well. Anyone issued a citation cannot enter a guilty plea to waive a trial and must appear in person in court to answer the charge.

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- Dublin officials are striking down a pitch by Dublin City Schools to buy a central Ohio healthcare provider's headquarters for $37 million to serve as a new high school for the district.

The school district settled on a purchase agreement with Cardinal Health to buy the company's 250,000 square-foot west campus headquarters at 7200 Cardinal Place. However, the Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission rejected the idea during an Aug. 8 meeting and argued that rezoning the site from offices to academic use would not align with the city's "Envision Dublin" community plan, which went into effect Aug. 1.

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"We are eight days into the plan. To recommend violating the plan, eight days in, after having 18 months of planning where Dublin City Schools was at the table and planning right along with us, I don't think that would be what the city council is looking for," said Rebecca Call, chair of the planning and zoning commission.

• The district settled an agreement to buy Cardinal's west campus headquarters. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)
• The district settled an agreement to buy Cardinal's west campus headquarters. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)

John Marschhausen, superintendent of Dublin schools, said during the meeting that the district is anticipating 2,000 more high school students over the next eight to 10 years. He explained that the upcoming Bishop Elementary will be over capacity when the building opens next fall, and Eversole Run Middle School and Abraham Depp Elementary already use modulars for overflow.

Marschhausen argued the district's acquisition of Cardinal's now empty building makes the most financial sense given the cost to build a high school would be more than $200 million. The superintendent also noted that the $145 million bond issue and a 7.9 mill operating levy that passed last year grants the district the authority to issue another $40 million in debt, which would allow Dublin schools to buy the building "without going back to the voters for additional resources."

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"Taxes are very high in Dublin. We were very fortunate to pass our most recent levy," said Marschhausen. "Working together, if we can get 250,000 square feet that's usable as academic space, it be a opportunity for us as a school district and community to save our taxpayers over $150 million."

Ed Daniels, Cardinal's chief security officer, reiterated to the committee that the building has been emptied by Cardinal, so "there's no revenue being generated." Daniels said Cardinal, who moved its operations to inside the building directly to the east, is likely to keep the west building empty if the deal with Dublin schools does not progress.

"We are very conscious about who we are going to be next to and, if we sell that property to someone, we don't control that," said Daniels. "We sell it to the schools, we know for the foreseeable future who our neighbor is going to be."

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Still, Call said Envision Dublin outlines a very "black and white" picture for the site and reaffirmed that the committee will not deviate from the plan. And, regardless of the plan, Call argued the property raises a number of concerns given its proximity to Interstate 270, and urged Dublin schools to assess other local buildings for conversion opportunities.

"We do have other areas in this city that are office uses that are empty buildings that could have equally fiscally-fortuitous opportunities outside of the particular Cardinal campus that I would invite you to explore," she said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Cybersecurity experts are sharing methods of protection for anyone who may be affected after hackers dumped over three terabytes of the city's data on the dark web.

The leak came within a month of a July 18 ransomware attack where hackers claimed to make off with over six terabytes of data from city servers. Mayor Andrew Ginther has never publicly named a suspect, but the Rhysida group took responsibility and attempted two auctions for stolen city data on the dark web. When it failed to secure a buyer by Thursday at the price tag of 30 bitcoin -- or just under $2 million -- Rhysida publicly leaked the data.

NBC4 has asked the mayor's office whether the hack could go beyond city workers, such as through residents' water bill accounts or those listed as beneficiaries of employees. But Ginther has cited an investigation involving the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security as limiting his ability to answer. Cybersecurity expert Shawn Waldman -- the CEO of SecureCyber -- told NBC4 that until definitive answers surface on the hack's scope, it's better to expect that nothing is safe.

"I generally tell people even outside of this incident, to already assume that all of your information has been compromised anyway," Waldman said. "Now, these threat actors are able to get a hold of this information so much quicker because for the most part, the world lives online."

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For anyone potentially impacted, Ohio State assistant professor Carter Yagemann previously warned how any accounts connected to the city could also compromise unrelated online accounts.

“If the leak turns out to be legitimate, it is likely to contain sensitive information that includes passwords and banking information,” Yagemann said. “Impacted residents should be on the lookout for unusual activity with their bank accounts and should change their passwords on any accounts that may share the same password.”

Rhysida begins leaking stolen data from the City of Columbus on the group's dark web onion site. (Courtesy Photo/Daniel Maldet)

Waldman said one of the worst outcomes of a data breach can include when a bad actor takes a line of credit out in a victim's name. But another less obvious result can come with a suspect gaining personal information to scare and extort a victim as well. On preventative measures, he recommended a way to halt attacks on a victim's credit.

"I would contact all three credit bureaus and do what's called freezing your credit," Waldman said. "Now, that should be done regardless. Even if you're not part of an incident, everyone should have their credit frozen ... If you go to like, buy a new car or buy a house or something, it really just takes minutes to thaw your credit."

Waldman added that watching bank account activity is also vital.

"If you've got notifications that you can turn on, like your credit cards and your bank accounts, have them start notifying you about every transaction," Waldman said. "That way you get a heads-up."

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The mayor has challenged the danger of the leak in the aftermath, calling the auction's failure "a strong indication that the data lacks value to those who would seek to do harm or profit from it.” But the next day, attorneys representing two Columbus officers filed a class-action lawsuit against the city, claiming they had seen real-world damage: one's Social Security number was compromised, and the other's cover was blown.

NBC4 asked Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein's office if he would defend the city in the case, because his team could potentially qualify as a claimant under the class-action lawsuit's guidelines. Klein's communications director shared that his office was consulting with the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, and would follow its guidance on what to do.

Ginther is scheduled to take questions from reporters Tuesday morning, in his first meeting with them since the leak and subsequent lawsuit.

Central Ohio Weather and Radar QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Iso. shower, partly cloudy, high 83
• Tonight: Mainly clear, low 62
• Wednesday: Mainly sunny, high 86
• Thursday: Partly cloudy, showers late, high 87
• Friday: Rain & storms, high 85
• Saturday: Sct'd showers, high 83

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Tuesday!

We've got another nice day ahead of us. Today will be mostly dry, outside of an isolated shower chance as a system works to our south. We'll see highs in the low to middle 80s, with comfortable humidity. Clouds this morning work to break up into the afternoon.

We'll see more sunshine tomorrow, with dry conditions, and highs working back to the middle 80s, which puts us right near normal.

By Thursday, our clouds start to build. Highs top out in the upper 80s. We'll be looking at an isolated shower chance during the afternoon, before more widespread rain moves in overnight and into Friday.

Friday will be our best shot for more widespread showers, as or next system works into the area. That leaves us with scattered shower activity through the upcoming weekend.

-McKenna

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Jennifer Sanders won't be alone as she attempts to win 'American Ninja Warrior.' She'll have her husband, Ryan, who has previously competed on the show, family, and friends in Las Vegas to support her.

She'll also be joined by another central Ohio ninja, Sydney Yee from Powell. Both qualified by advancing in the battle rounds filmed in Los Angeles.

"It kind of feels like a dream every single time," said Sanders, who is competing on the show for the fourth time. "I can't believe it. Every time I step on the stage that I'm actually there competing because it's every kid's dream that trains here. To be on the show. And so to live that dream is just amazing."

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Yee was one of the dozens of supporters who gathered Monday night to watch Sanders on the latest episode of the NBC show. The huge group went crazy every time Sanders showed up on the screen. They cheered loudly every time she made a successful jump, and cheered a little louder when she completed each obstacle, including the one that sent her to the finals.

"I really feed off the energy of the crowd," Sanders said. "I actually compete best on the show rather than like small town counts because there's so much adrenaline and like you can feel the energy from your family on the sideline and your friends and it's just super exciting."

Sanders and Yee will likely be competing on next Monday's episode of 'American Ninja Warrior' at 8 p.m. on NBC4. Yee is confirmed to be in the episode, though Sanders is not quite sure if her run will be included in that same episode since she hasn't been notified by producers yet.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One suspect was arrested Monday night after a man was killed in a hit-and-run in Clintonville.

At 7:43 p.m., Columbus police were dispatched to the intersection of North High Street and Kelso Road in response to a report of an accident involving a white SUV and a motorcycle. Multiple reports said the white SUV collided with the motorcycle before fleeing the scene.

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When officers arrived, they located the motorcyclist suffering from critical injuries. The man was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:30 p.m.

The suspect was located in the 100 block of West Brighton Road, where officers found him in the same white SUV. Officers determined the man was under the influence and placed him under arrest.

The man has been charged with operating a vehicle impaired. Other charges could be added as the investigation continues.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Thousands of Ohio students come from a food insecure household, and a coalition is trying to help alleviate that struggle.

“We know that hunger is a really big issue in our classrooms,” co-founder of Hunger Free Schools Ohio Katherine Ungar said.

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Ungar’s coalition is pushing for the creation of a free lunch program for all students, regardless of their household income.

“When we go to the classroom or when we eat together, we don't like having these categories of who is free, who is paid, who is reduced," Ungar said. "The students feel that and that’s really deeply felt by students who may qualify for free or reduced. When you make it universal, it gets rid of the stigma completely.”

Ungar said right now, one in five students in Ohio are coming from a food insecure household and one in three of those students do not qualify for federal free and reduced meal programs.

“We're talking about Ohio's future workforce. And so, making those investments now is only going to pay off for us later,” Ungar said. “We invest in transportation and textbooks and Chromebooks. And those are all really great investments. But we need full bellies for [students] to be able to utilize those resources and learn.”

But how likely is a free lunch program in Ohio?

“It's something that we've got to correct, we've got to fix,” chair of the Ohio House Finance Committee Representative Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) said.

John Fortney, spokesperson for Senate Republicans, said “members think that it is a worthwhile discussion for the new budget year.” Budget talks will likely start up sometime in January with its passage likely by the end of June 2025.

In the last state operating budget, money was allocated to go toward free breakfast and lunch for students. But to make a universal free lunch program, Edwards said it is projected to cost $300 million.

“As much as I'm for it, I haven't really been given any data to show how it works, where the costs are associated, and are there ways of saving money,” Edwards said.

Edwards agreed that it's a stigma and fundamental issue that needs to be corrected.

“If you got a kid sitting in the classroom hungry, it's going to be really hard to teach that kid math and science,” Edwards said.

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But Edwards said come next operating budget, though he will not be House Finance Chair since he is not running for re-election, finding the money may be difficult.

“We might be having much different conversion when number one the federal dollars dry up and number two the state’s economic shape might not be in the same situation it’s been in,” Edwards said. “We can say free lunches, but they're not really free lunches. Someone's paying, but I want you. We just got to figure out again, how do we try to save money and do this the most cost-effective way?”

Edwards said while it is a bipartisan issue, funding this will likely mean cuts in other areas.

“I'd say people are going to be all over the place. Some people are going to say no because of the price tag,” Edwards said. “And how do you get 50 votes on such a thing? I think you really need to dive into the numbers and try to figure out if there's cost savings methods that we can put into how we are currently operating school lunch programs in the state.”

Gov. Mike DeWine’s spokesperson, Dan Tierney, said it is certainly something open for debate, and added, “there are benefits to it, but like everything else we have to figure out if there is money in the budget for it or not.”

“People that might support this, such as maybe even myself, I would have to take a good, hard look to see, you know, what are we willing to cut to get to these priorities for the state,” Edwards said.

Recent polling conducted by The Terrance Group, a Republican research firm, asked 700 Ohioans how they feel about it. 67% are supportive of free breakfast and lunch for all Ohio students.

But Ungar said it is about more than just the cost. She said this is something that sticks with students. For example, as young as kindergartener, if a student gets to the front of the line and has reached a certain debt, the hot lunch will be thrown out and replaced with a cheese or PB&J sandwich.

“When you talk to nutrition providers, often what they see when that happens to a student, that student doesn't return the next day to the lunch line because of that shame and that embarrassment. So, it follows them,” Ungar said. “Imagine they were just in class for 4 hours as a first grader and they get to the lunch line and now they can't have that hot meal that all their friends are having at the table.”

Ungar said others school districts bar students from extra-curricular activities and some schools won’t allow a student to walk during their graduation.

“You can think about what that means and what how they carry that with them in terms of stigma for a long time,” Ungar said.

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And Ungar said free lunches can have a positive impact overall on a student’s ability to learn and focus in the classroom.

“Chronic absenteeism is a really big issue that Ohio's facing right now, and attendance is highly associated with school meals,” Ungar said. “Sometimes these students are waiting a long time before their next meal. And so, making sure just them knowing that they have school meals and that that's going to be provided for them at school is a huge relief.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The owner of multiple business in Ohio, including two in Columbus, is facing multiple serious charges out of Cleveland.

Robert "Bobby" George, 43, had a warrant issued for his arrest on Friday, according to records from Cleveland Municipal Court. Ohio Secretary of State business records for Ethos Capital Partners and TownHall -- an investing firm and Columbus bar, respectively -- list George as the registered agent, and include a matching Lakewood address that matches the one in the court record.

George is wanted on at least nine felony counts, including:

• Attempted murder
• Rape
• Four counts of kidnapping
• Felonious assault
• Two counts of strangulation, with substantial risk of serious physical harm

Nexstar sister station FOX8 described George as owning multiple restaurants, including at least five in Cleveland. His business presence in Columbus includes a branch of TownHall as well as Mandrake Rooftop, another bar. In July 2023, George publicly offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in a mass shooting in Cleveland's Warehouse District.

NBC4 has requested documents that will reveal about the circumstances leading to George's charges from Cleveland Municipal Court, but had not received them as of 7 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Ohio State University campus will soon be bustling again as move in officially begins Wednesday, and the OSU Police Division has been getting ready.

“Our students are our bread and butter," said Lt. Joanna Shaul with OSUPD. "We’re excited to have them back, the place is not the same without them, so we are constantly focused on being prepared for the students, having the best experience for the students, giving them the most safe environment we possibly can."

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Shaul said the division is constantly preparing for big events like move in and game days. She said during move in, much of the division's work ends up being with traffic control and helping with directions. She also reminded parents to have some safety talks with their soon to be college students.

“It's nerve wracking for everybody and we understand that," Shaul said. "Communication is really important. Stay in contact with your student, make sure you're reminding your student of basic safety things that those of us with a little bit more experience in life may take for granted.”

OSUPD and the Columbus Division of Police's Joint Patrol Program for neighborhoods just off campus started in 2008. There are new cruisers for the program this year with badges for both divisions on them. Shaul described it as an upgrade for the program.

“I think we see that we want students to have that familiarity and they’ve built that relationship with us from living on campus two years," Shaul said. "They go over to the city side and they may be less comfortable or less familiar with Columbus Police and its just a way for us to show everybody how really closely we are working together."

Each cruiser will have an OSUPD officer and CPD officer working together. There are four pairs this year, the most since the program started in 2008, according to OSUPD.

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OSUPD will also have a new police chief this year. Chief Kimberley Spears-McNatt, who's been chief since 2018 and has been with the division for thirty years, took a new position at Clemson. The plan is to have an interim chief named within the next couple of weeks, according to OSUPD.