In the midst of a chase, police officers from Akron in Ohio fired nearly 100 shots at a black suspect earlier this week
After a highly publicized police shooting that saw nearly 100 rounds fired at the victim, a young man of color, Akron in Ohio has cancelled its Independence Day festivities. He was hit with more than 60 bullets.
The incident was called by Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan (a Democrat). “a dark day for our city”He announced on Friday that Akron officials would not host the Fourth of July celebrations planned for the weekend. The Rib, White, & Blue Festival was scheduled to begin Friday in downtown Akron and last until Monday.
“I feel strongly that this is not the time for a city-led celebration,” Horrigan explained. This decision resulted from a highly publicized police shooting on Monday that has led to protests around the city.
A group of officers attempted to stop Jayland Walker (a 25-year old black man who was a DoorDash driver) at that moment. Walker reportedly refused to obey the officers’ commands. Washington Post reports that Walker fired from his vehicle a gun during pursuit.
A weapon was also found in Walker’s car, according to the police. However, one of his family’s attorneys, Boddy DiCello, told WaPo that there was “no evidence”It was either in the car at the time of the chase or the weapon was fired upon a police officer. Walker’s family also denied that Jayland fired at the police.
A certain moment later, the man leapt out of his car and attempted to run on foot. “Actions by the suspect caused the officers to perceive he posed a deadly threat to them,”In a Facebook post, the police claimed that they had made the statement. “In response to this threat, officers discharged their firearms, striking the suspect.”Walker was immediately declared dead.
DiCello said that Walker was hit more than 60 times by eight officers, and that he received more than 90 bullets from them. “There are wounds on all sides and parts of his body,”The attorney stated.
This information was not commented on by the police. The statement stated that “officers immediately summoned for EMS as they began administering first aid until the arrival of paramedics.”
On Sunday afternoon, the force promised to release footage from its body camera. The officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave for the time of the investigation that’s been launched by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the police said, adding that a separate internal investigation would be conducted by its Office of Professional Standards and Accountability as well. At this point, none of the officers have been identified publicly.
On Thursday protestors gathered in front of the Akron Police Department Office and blocked local traffic. “Justice for Jayland.”DiCello stated that Walker did not have any criminal records. According to DiCello, Walker had previously worked at Amazon before moving to DoorDash.
Walker’s family said they were “angry”And “sick”The protesters were outraged by the incident and they appealed to them for peaceful resolution, especially on Sunday, when footage from the bodies of the demonstrators will be made public. “We are very concerned that this video is going to cause Akron to burn, and we don’t want that. Nobody wants that,”The attorney stated.
According to US media, this is the third police fatal shooting in Akron. WaPo stated that in 2021 more than 1 040 people had been shot and killed in America by US police officers.
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