Written by Brendan O’Brien and Tyler Clifford
(Reuters) – An Ohio grand jury has voted against indicting eight Akron police officers who fatally shot an unarmed black man last year, the state attorney general said on Monday, as the city prepares for a new round of protests against malpractice. alleged police.
Officers followed Jayland Walker, 25, on foot after an attempted traffic stop last June and shot him 46 times, including five times in the back.
Police opened fire after mistakenly believing Walker reached for his waistband in order to get a gun, made an “accidental pulling motion,” planted his foot and turned toward officers while raising his hand, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said during a deposition for the announcement. Grand jury decision.
“Only then did the officers fire thinking Mr. Walker had shot them again,” said Yost, whose office was asked by local prosecutors to investigate the shooting.
Earlier, while driving off with the officers in pursuit, Walker fired at least one shot at them, but left the gun in the car when he fled on foot, Yost said.
He said state law allows officers to use deadly force against a lethal threat to themselves or others.
“The grand jury concluded that the officers were lawfully justified in their use of force,” he told a news conference.
The Walker family’s legal team laughed at the decision and said they will file a civil lawsuit against the city in June.
Paige White, one of the attorneys, claimed that the plaintiffs made a case in favor of the officers.
“What we saw happen this week in the grand jury was a miscarriage of justice,” she said. Jayland didn’t stand a chance.
U.S. Rep. Amelia Sykes of Ohio said she will formally ask the Department of Justice to investigate the patterns and practices of the Akron Police Department.
“We’ve seen it many times. A routine traffic stop that ends in death,” she said in a statement.
Yost added that the panel of three men and six women, including two blacks, reached its decision after hearing that Walker had shot officers at least once, and that the officers first used non-lethal tasers in an attempt to stop him.
Walker had neither alcohol nor drugs in his system at the time of his death.
The shooting follows a series of law enforcement killings of black people in the US that have sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality, including the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Akron officials were preparing for the possibility that the grand jury’s decision could lead to further protests.
In June, Walker’s death sparked mostly peaceful daytime protests, though some protesters smashed storefront windows and damaged property in central Akron, prompting police to disperse the crowd with tear gas.
Mayor Dan Hourigan, who has called for peaceful protests, said Monday that the police department will investigate the incident and its policies internally. The review will be announced at a later date.
Police Chief Steve Millett said the officers involved will remain on administrative duty as the department reviews whether they have violated internal policies.
He said barricades had been put up in downtown Akron outside the city hall and the police department in anticipation of the protests.
Akron Public Schools closed all schools on Tuesday to “ensure the safety of our scholars and staff” in light of the grand jury’s decision.