Today has been declared a day of mourning in the City of Akron. Family, friends and supporters will gather today to remember the life of 25-year-old Jayland Walker.
Jayland Walker, a back man, was shot to death last month by Akron police after a brief chase.The incident is being investigated by state agents.
Walker was unarmed when he was shot, according to authorities, but police say a handgun was later found in the car. Akron police said they initially stopped Walker for a “traffic and equipment violation.”
Visitation for Jayland Walker will be held from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. today at the Akron Civic Theatre with the funeral scheduled to begin at 1:00pm. A livestream video feed will be available online to view here.
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25-year-old Jayland Walker was struck at least 60 times by the more than 90 rounds that were fired at him by Akron Police. His death has sparked protests in the area.
Akron Police claim Walker refused to stop his car after they attempted to pull him over for a traffic stop. Following the shooting, an undefined number of officers were placed on administrative leave.
Following the release of the video footage, which shows Walker getting out of his car and running away unarmed on foot, protests have broken out in Akron. The family lawyer, Bobby DiCello, said of the footage to be released, “I’ve been a trial lawyer for 22 years, and I’ve never seen anything remotely close to what that video is going to show.”
In a statement, the Akron PD said officers opened fire after “actions by the suspect caused the officers to perceive he posed a deadly threat to them.”
Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) and the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:
“On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, I extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jayland Walker. From every account, he was a family man loved by many. He should still be alive today. The body camera footage is gut-wrenching and leaves us with far more questions than answers. The conduct of the officers and all involved must be investigated without delay. The Akron Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office must conduct a thorough and transparent investigation and provide regular updates to the community. Jayland’s family, the Akron community, and all of us deserve to know what happened and what the department will change to ensure routine traffic stops do not lead to more unnecessary deaths. Far too many Black people in America are killed at the hands of police during alleged traffic violations, and we cannot remain silent. This is not an acceptable outcome, and we can no longer afford to be merely outraged and heartbroken. While we have seen action on police reform in recent months, it is clear there is more work to do.”
The video of the shooting is below; viewer’s discretion is advised.
An unspecified number of officers were placed on administrative leave after the fatal shooting of an unarmed Black man by Akron, Ohio Police, who they say refused to stop his vehicle after they attempted to pull him over for a traffic stop.
25-year-old Jayland Walker has been the center of racial controversy around the country after he was gunned down by officers, who fired more than 90 shots at the Uber Eats driver, hitting him at least 60 times.
Protests have erupted in Akron following the release of the video footage, which shows Walker exiting his vehicle and fleeing on foot, unarmed. The family lawyer, Bobby DiCello, said of the footage to be released, “I’ve been a trial lawyer for 22 years and I’ve never seen anything remotely close to what that video is going to show.”
n initial police statement, which was released on Tuesday, said officers tried to stop Mr. Walker for an unspecified traffic violation while he was driving at around 12:30 a.m. After Mr. Walker did not stop, officers pursued his vehicle. The police said Mr. Walker fired a gun while he was driving, but the statement did not state how that was confirmed After a few minutes, Mr. Walker slowed down his car and exited it while it was still moving; officers then chased him on foot into a parking lot.
The statement said officers opened fire after “actions by the suspect caused the officers to perceive he posed a deadly threat to them.”“I’ve met personally with the chief and he has told me that he hasn’t found that evidence,” Mr. DiCello said. He said that the police chief told him that moments before the shooting began, two officers tried to use stun guns on Mr. Walker and missed.
