Video shows police killing a black man in a flurry of gunfire

Protesters marched peacefully through the city and gathered outside the Akron Justice Center after the video was released.

A black man was unarmed when Akron police chased him on foot and killed him in a flurry of gunfire, but officers believed he was had previously shot them from a vehicle and feared he was preparing to shoot again, authorities said Sunday at a news conference.

Akron police released video of the shooting of 25-year-old Jayland Walker, who was killed June 27 in a pursuit that began with an attempted traffic stop. The mayor called the shooting “heartbreaking” while asking the community for patience.

It is unclear how many shots were fired by the eight police officers involved, but Jayland Walker suffered over 60 injuries. A lawyer for Mr. Walker's family said the police continued to shoot even after he was on the ground.

Officers attempted to stop Mr. Walker's car at approximately 12:30 p.m. for unspecified traffic and equipment violations, but less than a minute into the In a chase, the sound of a gunshot was heard from the car and a Transportation Department camera captured what appeared to be a flash of cannon fire from the vehicle, the police chief said. #x27;Akron, Steve Mylett. It changed the nature of the case from a routine traffic stop to a public safety issue, he said.

Police body camera footage shows what happened after the roughly six-minute chase. Several shouting officers with firearms drawn approach the slowing car on foot, as it rolls over a curb and onto a sidewalk. A person wearing a ski mask comes out of the passenger door and runs into a parking lot. The police chase him for about 10 seconds before officers fire in multiple directions, in a flurry of gunfire that lasts 6 or 7 seconds.

The Akron police released video of the shooting of Jayland Walker who was killed June 27 in a pursuit that began with an attempted traffic stop.

At least one police officer had first tried using a stun gun, but was unsuccessful, police said.

Mr. Mylett said Mr. Walker's actions are difficult to make out on live video, but a still photo appears to show him descending to the area around his waist. and another appears to show him turning to an officer. He said a third image 'captures a forward movement of his arm.

In a statement shared with reporters on Sunday, the local police union said the officers believed there was an immediate threat of serious injury and believed their actions and the number of beatings fire would be deemed justified in accordance with their training and protocols. The union said officers are cooperating with the investigation.

Despite more than 60 injuries found on Walker's body, police say further investigation investigation is needed to determine exactly how many shots the officers fired and how many times Mr. Walker was hit.

The footage released by the police ends with the officers shooting and does not show what happened next. Officers provided assistance, and Mr. Walker can be heard to still have a pulse, but he was later pronounced dead, Mr. Mylett said.

The police chief explained that an officer shooting someone must be prepared to explain why he did what he did, he must be able to articulate the specific threats to which he was confronted and he must be held accountable. But he said he withholds judgment on their actions until they make their statements.

Handgun, loaded magazine and an apparent wedding ring were found on the car seat. A casing compatible with the weapon was later found in the area where officers believed a gunshot originated from the vehicle.

State Attorney General Dave Yost promised a full, fair and expert investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and warned that the body-worn camera footage is an overview only.

Akron Police are conducting a separate internal investigation to find out if officers have violated department rules or policies.

The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave, which is standard practice in such cases. Seven of them are white, and one is black, according to the department. Their tenure with the Akron police ranges from a year and a half to six years, and none of them have any disciplinary history, substantiated complaints or criminal charges. fatal shootout under their belt, he added.

Protesters marched peacefully through the city and gathered outside the Akron Justice Center after the video was released. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President Derrick Johnson said in a statement that Walker's death was not in self-defense, but was point-blank murder.

Mr. Walker's family are calling for accountability, but also for peace, their lawyers said. One of the lawyers, Bobby DiCello, called the police flurry of gunfire excessive and unreasonable, and said police handcuffed Mr Walker before trying to lavish him first aid.

How it got there with a lawsuit is beyond me, Mr. DiCello said.

He said that Mr. Walker's family did not know why he fled the police. Mr. Walker was mourning the recent death of his fiancée, but his family had no reason to be concerned beyond that, and he was not a criminal, Mr. DiCello said. .

Jayland Walker's family calls for accountability, but also for peace, their attorneys have said.

I hope we will remember that when Jayland Walker drove through that parking lot, he was unarmed, Mr. DiCello said.

He added that& #x27;he didn't know if the gold ring found near the gun in the car belonged to Mr. Walker.