Video of US police killing Black man ignites protests in Ohio

Video shows eight police officers in Akron city were involved in a shooting that killed an unarmed Black man whose body was found with some 60 gunshot wounds after he fled a traffic stop last week.

The shooting was the latest in a spate of killings of Black men and women by law enforcement in the United States that critics say are racist and unjustified.
AFP

The shooting was the latest in a spate of killings of Black men and women by law enforcement in the United States that critics say are racist and unjustified.

Several hundred protesters have marched in Akron, Ohio after the release of a body camera footage that showed police fatally shooting a Black man with several dozen rounds of bullets.

As anger rose over the latest police killing of a Black man in the United States, and authorities appealed for calm, a crowd marched to City Hall on Sunday carrying banners with slogans such as "Justice for Jayland."

The slogan refers to Jayland Walker, 25, who was killed on Monday after officers tried to stop his car over a traffic violation, police said.

Sunday marked the fourth straight day of protests.

After the first rally, a crowd of people remained in the street protesting as evening fell but it was in a less organised fashion. There were no reports of violence.

But fearing unrest, authorities in the city of 190,000 people moved snowplows and other heavy equipment near the police department to serve as a barrier.

READ MORE: Protests in US city after police share video of Black man's death

Shooting details

After initially providing few details of the shooting, Akron authorities released two videos on Sunday: one that was a compilation of body-camera footage, body-cam still frames and voiceover, and another of the complete body-cam footage of the entire chase and shooting.

The voiceover explained that Walker did not stop and drove off. Police engaged in a car chase and said a shot had been fired from Walker's vehicle.

After being chased for several minutes, Walker got out of his car while it was still moving and fled on foot. Officers tried to subdue him with their tasers, but he kept running.

Several officers finally chased Walker to a parking lot. The body-cam footage is too blurry to see clearly what happens, but an initial police statement released after the shooting says he behaved in a way that caused officers to believe he posed a "deadly threat."

Independent probe announced

All of the officers at the scene opened fire on Walker, shooting multiple times in rapid succession.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Many will wish to air their grievances in public, and I fully support our residents' right to peacefully assemble," Akron mayor Dan Horrigan told a press conference, saying he was "heartbroken" over the events.

"But I hope the community can agree that violence and destruction are not the answer."

He also said an independent investigation was being conducted.

Police chief Steve Mylett said he didn't know the exact number of bullets fired at Walker, but the medical examiner's report "indicates over 60 wounds to Mr. Walker's body."

He added that the eight officers involved in Walker's death have been placed on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete.

Authorities cancelled a festival planned for the July 4th weekend.

READ MORE: Adding fuel to the fire: white supremacy as domestic terrorism in the US

'They want to turn him into a masked monster'

The attorney for the Walker family, Bobby DiCello, told reporters on Sunday that he was "very concerned" about the police's allegation that Walker had fired at officers from his car, and emphasized that there was no justification for his violent death.

"They want to turn him into a masked monster with a gun," DiCello said. "I ask you, as he's running away, what is reasonable? To gun him down? No, that's not reasonable."

DiCello urged the public to be peaceful in their protests of Walker's killing, adding that it was the wish of Walker's family to avoid more violence.

The shooting was the latest in a spate of killings of Black men and women by law enforcement in the United States that critics say are racist and unjustified, including the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis that ignited global protests against police brutality and racial injustice.

READ MORE: ‘We will heal us’: America marks second death anniversary of George Floyd

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