‘Change is coming:’ Akron demonstrators want Justice Department to investigate officers who killed Jayland Walker

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AKRON, Ohio – Calls for justice for Jayland Walker continue to ring out through the streets of Akron more than a month after a grand jury failed to indict eight police officers who shot and killed the unarmed Black man last summer.

Hundreds of people, including activists from across the country, marched downtown with Walker’s family and friends to City Hall and the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center on South High Street where they were joined by the family’s attorneys to share a list of demands calling for justice.

One by one, family members of victims of police brutality from across the country stood on the steps of police headquarters with Jada Walker, Jayland’s sister, to share their condolences to the Walker family and chant the name of their loved ones who had died.

“We are here for my baby. Rest in peace to my baby,” she said. “We are going to get justice for him.”

Jayland Walker

Adrienne Hood, whose son, 23-year-old Henry Green was killed by Columbus police, speaks in front of other families of victims of police brutality from across the country on the steps Akron police headquarters.Molly Walsh, cleveland.com

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, whose office investigated the shooting and presented evidence to a grand jury, said the officers were “justified” under Ohio law because they believed Walker posed a direct threat to their safety. Walker had fired a gunshot from his car during a car chase about five minutes before officers fired 46 bullets into his body.

Joe Fouche, one of the Walker family’s attorneys, shared some of the demands including releasing more information about the grand jury’s decision.

“We demand to see the whole picture,” Fouche said outside of City Hall. “We demand to see how they concluded that morning that 94 shots is reasonable. We demand transparency to see what they’re doing and that we trust them to govern us.”

A “Justice for Jayland National March” has been planned to take place in Washington, D.C. on June 27, the one year anniversary of Walker’s death, to call on the Department of Justice to investigate the eight officers involved with the shooting. The city has refused to name the officers.

Shammas Malik

Akron City Councilman Shammas Malik, who won the Democratic Primary for mayor and is expected to win the election this fall, joined the hundreds of people marching to demand justice for Jayland Walker.Molly Walsh, cleveland.com

Akron City Councilman Shammas Malik, who won the Democratic Primary for mayor and is expected to win the election this fall, said he and others on city council including Councilwoman Tara Mosely are focused on “systemic change” within the Akron Police Department.

“Are you going to indict the killer cops?,” a person in the crowd yelled at Malik.

“A lot of people in this city voted for change,” Malik said moments later. “That change is coming.”



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