An unspecified number of police officers in Akron, Ohio, have been placed on administrative leave following the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old black man, who police said continued to drive after they tried to tow him for unspecified traffic violations.
Officials in Akron are bracing for possible protests on Sunday of footage of the shooting, which took place after the driver, Jayland Walker, left his car and walked to a early Monday morning parking.
An attorney for Walker’s family said the footage showed him running away unarmed, as officers fired at him more than 90 times.
The attorney, Bobby DiCello, reviewed footage of Thursday’s shooting. His legal team also visited the medical examiner’s office on Friday and reviewed the autopsy, which has yet to be finalized. Mr DiCello said it showed Mr Walker had been beaten at least 60 times.
The Summit County Medical Examiner could not be reached immediately on Saturday.
“I have been a probationary lawyer for 22 years and I have never seen anything remotely close to what that video would show,” Mr. DiCello said of the footage to be released. He said eight officers were involved in the shooting, although authorities did not specify a number.
An initial statement by the police, which is Released on TuesdayOfficers said officers tried to stop Mr Walker for an unspecified traffic violation while he was driving around 12:30am. After Mr. Walker failed to stop, officers continued to pursue his vehicle, police said.
Police said Mr Walker opened fire while driving, but the statement did not specify how they learned about it. After a few minutes, Mr. Walker slowed his vehicle and left it while it was still moving; Officers then chased him on foot into a parking lot, police said.
The statement said officers opened fire after “the suspect’s actions led officers to perceive he posed a death threat to them.”
Mr DiCello said he saw no evidence in the video of Mr Walker moving in a way that “scares them” or asks them to shoot.
“I met the sheriff privately and he told me he couldn’t find that evidence,” DiCello said. He said the sheriff told him that moments before the shooting began, two officers tried to use a stun gun at Mr. Walker and missed.
Mr. DiCello said that the parking lot Mr. Walker ran into was very large, empty and there was no room for him to hide. He said Mr Walker made no threatening gestures when the shooting began.
“Imagine a person running away and start to look behind when someone is running and that’s when gunshots go off,” Mr. DiCello said.
Mr DiCello also questioned police reports that Mr Walker opened fire while driving away from officers.
“The rear windshield is intact, the front windshield is intact and all the side windows are intact,” he said. “There have been no calls, no reports that we have seen and also no information mentioned by the sheriff in his personal discussions with him that a gun was seen outside. car, waving or being pointed at anyone.”
Mr. Walker had an unidentified gun in his car, but he was not carrying that, or anything else, when police chased him on foot, Mr. DiCello said.
Mr. Walker has one traffic ticket and no criminal record. He graduated from Buchtel High School in Akron, where he joined the wrestling team. He is working as a driver for DoorDash and dreams of one day opening his own business, Mr. About a month ago, his girlfriend died in a car accident.
In a press conference on ThursdayMr. Walker’s aunt, Lajuana Walker Dawkins, said “he never caused any trouble.”
She said: “He is my skinny little grandson. “And we miss him. We just want some answers.”
Mr DiCello said Mr Walker’s sister, Jada Walker, and mother, Pamela Walker, chose not to see footage of the shooting. They asked not to describe it to them and avoid news reports about it. They also asked people to respond peacefully to Mr. Walker’s killing.
“The family doesn’t want violence anymore,” said Mr. DiCello. “It has had enough violence. The family wants peace, dignity and justice for Jayland.”
Before the video was released, the city was preparing for protests.
The mayor of Akron, Dan Horrigan, said on Thursday that a July 4 festival scheduled for the weekend has been cancelled.
He said in a statement. “Unfortunately, I feel strongly that this is not the time for a city-led celebration.”
Members of the Akron Police Department’s Main Crime Unit and the Ohio Department of Criminal Investigation are conducting the initial investigation into the shooting.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be referred to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for review. The Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards and Accountability is conducting a separate internal investigation.
In a joint statement On Wednesday, Horrigan and the city’s police chief, Steve Mylett, said it was “a dark day for our city, for the families of those involved, and for the families involved, as well as for those involved.” officer”.
“We will fully cooperate with that investigation and make it a top priority for our employees,” the statement said. “As a city, we are committed to this process and believe it will lead to a more complete understanding of this incident.”
