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Eight Akron cops involved in fatally shooting 25-year-American man Jayland Walker, won’t face prosecution, an Ohio grand jury ruled on April 17, 2023. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost confirmed the same on Monday. Jayland Walker was shot to death in 2022 during an attempted traffic stop. Authorities claimed that Walker refused to stop even after officers tried to pull him over.
Authorities also claimed that apart from refusing to stop when officers tried to pull him over, Walker also tried to flee the scene. They claimed that he made a threatening gesture at them when he was pulled over. However, after bodycam footage of the entire incident was made available, several protests broke out in Akron.
The recent decision of the Ohio jury has sparked backlash on social media platforms including Twitter. Several users described the decision as unjust after eight Caucasian cops were not charged over the tragic death of Jayland Walker.
Responding to a tweet by a user @shannonrwatts, who shared a piece by HuffPost about the verdict, another Twitter user said that the injustice continues.
Netizens furious with jury's verdict that did not charge the eight officers involved in the killing of Jayland Walker
Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old from Akron, was shot to death during a traffic stop that he allegedly tried to flee. Bodycam footage from the incident showed how Walker died after police opened fire at him.
Police officers claimed that they attempted to pull the 25-year-old over for some minor traffic and equipment violations. They added that Jayland Walker allegedly first shot at them from his car. Officers later found that Jayland Walker didn't have a criminal history and that he worked as a delivery driver for Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Dave Yost added that it was "critical to remember" that Walker had fired at the police and that he fired first. The jury’s decision to not prosecute the cops has not attracted a positive response from the public.
A statement was released by the attorneys representing the eight police officers. Their statement read:
“A split-second decision to use lethal force is one that every police officer hopes he or she will never be forced to make.”
As soon as the news of the jury's verdict was out, people from across the US took to social media to condemn the jury for their decision. While some shared facts about the case and claimed that it was enough to punish the officers, others simply offered solidarity and support to Walker's family. People expressed their perspectives on the decision and said that they felt that justice wasn’t served to the victim’s family.
Attorney General Dave Yost said that the jury found the officers legally justified in their use of the guns
Police officers said that Walker was allegedly driving with a broken taillight and a broken light on his rear license plate. While police initially didn't chase him, after they saw him at the same intersection a few minutes later, they decided to follow him.
A blurry bodycam footage captured an officer saying “Get on the ground” and “Stop reaching.” According to the county medical examiner, Jayland Walker was shot 40 times. The autopsy report also revealed that he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Attorney Dave Yost said that the grand jury found that the eight officers were "legally justified" in the use of their guns. He added that it was unusual and "hardly unprecedented" to have eight officers fire their weapons at a single person. He noted:
“The sheer number of shots is one of the things that makes the video so hard to watch.”
State prosecutors refused to reveal the names of the eight officers involved in shooting Jayland Walker. They have left the decision to the Akron Police Department.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Anthony Pierson also spoke about Jayland's killing. He said that while he didn't know what Jayland was thinking at the time, he knew that Walker was "going through a very tough time in his life.”
Pierson added that in a way, Jayland Walker was trying to commit "suicide by cop." He noted that Jayland was going through a tough time and was hurting. According to the attorney, the night Jayland encountered the police, he wasn't "acting himself." Noting that Walker was a good man and a good person with no criminal records, his behavior on the day of his death wasn't his usual behavior.
However, Jayland Walker's family has refuted this claim.
Jayland's family revealed that the 25-year-old lost his fiancée very close to his own death
Jayland's family described the incident as a brutal and senseless shooting. They also said that he was unarmed at the time of the shooting.
His family said that the cops followed him for around ten seconds and that the shooting went on for around six to seven seconds during which eight officers shot at him. Pamela Walker, Jayland’s mother described her son as a “lovable guy.” The family further revealed that Walker had lost his fiancé quite close to his death.
Investigating officers who were looking into the matter could not come up with a motive behind Jayland Walker’s actions. Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett addressed the situation on Monday and said that the officers involved in the case will be on “administrative duties for foreseeable future.”
President Joe Biden also addressed the incident on his trip to Ohio last year, where he stated that the case was being investigated by the DOJ.
