From a number of sources - Akron police officials said the fatal incident unfolded about 12:30 a.m. on June 27 in Akron's North Hill neighborhood when officers attempted to pull over Walker for a traffic violation and an equipment violation with his car. Police said the driver allegedly refused to stop, setting off a chase that ended in his death. . .In an earlier police statement, officials said, the "actions by the suspect caused the officers to perceive he posed a deadly threat to them. In response to this threat, officers discharged their firearms, striking the suspect," Akron police said in a statement.
Following the news conference, Bobby DiCello, an attorney for Walker's family, said the key fact of the case, which Mylett confirmed, is that Walker was unarmed when he was killed.
REPORT AND VIDEOS FROM AKRON BEACON
ONE OF THE FIRST REPORTS
Jayland Walker: Police killing of Black man in US causes anger
Officials set to release body cam footage of the killing of Jayland Walker, who his lawyer says suffered as many as 60 wounds.
![<div class=__reading__mode__extracted__imagecaption>Lawyer Bobby DiCello holds up a photograph of Jayland Walker, who was fatally shot by police in Akron, Ohio [File: Jeff Lange/USA Today Network via Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-07-02T162807Z_1371714936_RC2O3V9VB56I_RTRMADP_3_OHIO-POLICE.jpg?resize=770%2C513)
Protesters are demanding justice after police killed a Black man in the US state of Ohio, with a lawyer representing the family of Jayland Walker saying the 25-year-old had been shot when his back was turned to police during the June 27 incident in the city of Akron.
The officers involved in Walker’s killing have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, with the mayor of Akron and the city’s police chief set to give an update on the incident on Sunday.
Officials are planning to release body camera footage of the incident.
Lawyer Bobby DiCello told the Akron Beacon Journal that it is believed police fired as many as 90 shots at Walker, with his office’s investigation suggesting Walker suffered “60 to 80 wounds”, although he noted a single bullet can cause multiple wounds.
The lawyer, who said he had reviewed the body camera footage of the killing prior to its planned release, said his team had not seen any evidence that Walker fired at the officers.
Authorities have said Walker fled an early morning traffic stop and that officers reported a gun being fired from Walker’s vehicle, from which he ran before he was fatally shot in a nearby parking lot.
“He is just in a down sprint when he is dropped by I think the count is more than 90 shots,” DiCello told the newspaper. “Now how many of those land, according to our investigation right now, we’re getting details that suggest 60 to 80 wounds.”
YESTERDAY'S NEWS UPDATE
Ohio Police Release ‘Shocking’ Body Cam Video Of Jayland Walker Shooting
Topline
The Akron Police Department released body camera footage Sunday that showed the moments leading up to the fatal police shooting of Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black motorist whose death last week has sparked days of protest in Akron, Ohio
Key Background
Police tried to pull over Walker’s vehicle for an undisclosed minor traffic violation early Monday morning and chased him when he did not cooperate, according to the Akron Police Department. Authorities claim officers believed Walker fired a gun—which his family has disputed—before running from police in a parking lot. Officers continued the chase and fired rounds in his direction after perceiving that Walker “posed a deadly threat,” the department said. Walker was pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary autopsy records show Walker suffered more than 60 gunshot wounds from his face down to his lower legs. Since Thursday, demonstrators in Akron have marched to protest Walker’s death, which is the third police shooting in the city since December.
Tangent
Eight officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave, who they the police union says are cooperating with a state investigation, Mylett said Sunday.
NEWS UPDATE FROM BBC
Jayland Walker: Ohio police release video of deadly suspect chase
US police have released video of a chase in Akron, Ohio, which ended in a black man being shot dead, hit more than 60 times by pursuing officers.
Police believe Jayland Walker, 25, opened fire first and officers feared for their lives during the night-time traffic stop on 27 June.
Mr Walker was not armed when he ran away from his car but police say a pistol was later found inside it.
Akron's mayor urged local people to show patience as protests began.
"The video is heart-breaking, it's hard to take in," Daniel Horrigan said after the footage was released on Sunday.
State Attorney General Dave Yost promised a "complete, fair and expert investigation" by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation while Akron police are holding a separate internal investigation into whether officers violated departmental rules or policies.
The eight officers involved in the shooting, seven of whom are white and one of whom is black, have been put on paid administrative leave.
A lawyer for Mr Walker's family said officers had kept firing even after he was on the ground.
Derrick Johnson, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, described Mr Walker's death as "murder. Point blank".
Jayland Walker's car was stopped on Monday 27 June at 00:30 for a routine traffic inspection.
Police body cameras show a person in a ski mask getting out of the car and running towards a car park, chased by officers for about 10 seconds before they open fire.
One officer tried first to use a stun gun but that was unsuccessful, police say.
Police Chief Mylett said one still photo seemed to show Mr Walker "going down to his waist area" and another appeared to show him turning toward an officer. A third picture image "captures a forward motion of his arm", he said.
As well as the pistol found with a loaded magazine on a seat in the car, a bullet casing matching the weapon was found nearby, police say.
Demonstrators marched peacefully through Akron and gathered in front of the city justice centre after the video was released.
Family lawyer Bobby DiCello said police had fired on Mr Walker even when he was on the ground and had handcuffed him before trying to provide first aid.
Mr Walker's family said in a statement to CBS News: "Anger is fine. Anger is understandable. Violence is not. Let's uphold the dignity of Jayland's life as we peacefully demand justice for him."
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Further Reading
Akron marchers chant, 'No more dying' as they march to City Hall to protest Jayland Walker's death (Akron Beacon Journal)
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