The murder of unarmed Black citizens continues unabated. The case of Jayland Walker is another reminder of this unsettling occurrence. Walker, a 25-year-old African American, was shot dead in Akron, Ohio by police on June 27, 2022. Initially reports indicated Walker was shot 60 times, with five shots grazing past his body and 41 entry wounds. The medical autopsy conclusively shows that Walker was shot 26 times, which killed him instantly.
Police suspected Mr. Walker of traffic violations and tried to stop him. His vehicle had a broken taillight and a missing license plate bulb. However, Jayland ignored the call and drove past the officer.
The authorities claim Walker started the crossfire, shooting first at the police vehicles during a 3-minute chase. Officers on site believed Walker was a threat and they started shooting directly at his car. Eight officers were involved in the fatal incident, seven white and one black.
The question of which party fired first remains unanswered because the incident video is blurry and unclear. It remains hard to determine if Mr. Walker was a “threat” to the police before they opened fire on him.
Police also recovered an unloaded handgun and an ammunition clip from the driver’s seat during a search of the victim’s car. Walker was not in possession of a firearm when the police recovered his body.
Ken Abbarno, Walker’s lawyer, believed that his client’s demise represented a “brutal, and senseless death”” that could have been avoided if police had followed the necessary protocols.
Dr. Lisa Kohler, the Summit County medical examiner, was unsure which bullet proved fatal to. Walker. She said in a news conference on July 15, 2022, “(Walker) had several very devastating injuries that would cause death." Injuries occurred to his vital organs, including the heart, lungs, and essential arteries. Consequently, he died due to severe blood loss caused by his injuries.
Walker’s toxicology reports were negative for drugs and alcohol.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Akron asked the US Attorney General, Maverick Garland, to initiate a federal investigation of the case. The civil rights organization wants the responsible officers punished "to the fullest extent of the law.”
The African American community came together in Akron, Ohio, to mourn the loss of a kind young man who lost his life to another case of racist violence. Brian Turner, Walker’s High School Dean, talked to the media as he tried to cope with Walker’s sudden demise. He remembered Mr. Walker, “I just know that he was a very respectful, mannerably young man when he was in the building with his friends.”
Mr. Walker’s death aroused concern in the residents who say that racism has been exponentially rising in Akron. The Walker murder is the latest display of these troubling realities.