Fatal police shooting in Akron spurs unrest
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Demonstrators gather outside Akron City Hall to protest the June 27 police killing of Jayland Walker. Photo: Matthew Hatcher/AFP via Getty Images
The fatal police shooting in Akron of Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, has created a week's worth of civil unrest in Ohio.
Why it matters: Walker's death is the latest in a string of police shootings that have prompted a nationwide reckoning of law enforcement's use of force practices.
Catch up quick: An attempted early-morning traffic stop on June 27 led to a chase, during which Walker fired a shot out of his vehicle, the Akron Police Department alleges.
- Walker is seen on police body camera footage eventually pulling off the road and running away.
- Officers contend they saw Walker reaching for his waist. They then fired over 90 bullets, striking him at least 60 times.
- Walker was unarmed when he was shot. Police say they found a handgun in the vehicle, per AP.
What's happening: Local residents peacefully protested the police shooting in the days that followed, with demonstrations turning violent after body camera videos were released Sunday, the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
- Mayor Dan Horrigan canceled Akron's Fourth of July fireworks shows, declared a state of emergency and issued an evening curfew "in order to preserve peace in our community."
- Columbus protesters marched down High Street on Monday, chanting Walker's name.
The latest: The state's Bureau of Criminal Investigation will lead a probe into Walker's death, as it commonly does with other police shootings in Ohio.
What they're saying: State Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron), the former Democratic minority leader, tweeted the footage was "hard to watch" and "left more questions than answers."
- "Body-worn camera footage is just one view of the whole picture," Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement, pledging a "full review" of the incident.
- Demetrius Travis Sr., Walker's cousin, condemned the violence in a statement and asked protesters to remain peaceful "in the fight to get justice for Jayland."
