Akron police release bodycam footage in fatal shooting of Jayland Walker as violent protests erupt

Akron police released bodycam footage in the shooting death of Jayland Walker on Saturday and protests turned from peaceful to violent on Sunday night (Pictures: AFP/Getty Images/Reuters)

Police have released bodycam footage of the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old unarmed black man, that has sparked violent protests in Akron, Ohio.

Jayland Walker was killed during a traffic stop on June 27 after eight police officers shot him at least 60 times. Walker was not armed when cops chased him.

Cops tried to stop Walker’s car around 12.30am for unspecified traffic and equipment violations. Less than a minute after pursuing him, a shot could be heard from the vehicle, and a transportation department camera seemed to show a muzzed flash coming from the car, according to Police Chief Steve Mylett.

Those details changed the case from ‘a routine traffic stop to now a public safety issue’, said Mylett.

Bodycam footage released on Sunday showed a few shouting officers with their guns drawn approaching the vehicle on foot as it stopped by a curb. An individual wearing a ski mask goes out of the passenger door and dashes toward a parking lot.

For roughly 10 seconds, cops can be seen chasing him, then shots are fired from various directions for six to seven seconds.

Walker’s actions are difficult to see from the video in real time, Mylett said, but a still image appears to show Walker ‘going down to his waist area’. Another picture seems to show Walker turning toward an officer and a third photograph ‘captures a forward motion of his arm’, Mylett said.

The police union said that cops thought they were facing an immediate threat of serious harm, and that the number of shots they fired was justified and according to their training and protocols. Officers are cooperating in the investigation.

The muzzle flash (at right) of an Akron Police officer’s weapon is seen seconds after another officer (second left) began to give the order to cease firing at black man Jayland Walker (Picture: Reuters)

An Akron Police officer points his weapon at Black man Jayland Walker, who was shot to death by up to eight officers after running from his vehicle, in Akron, Ohio (Picture: Reuters)

After violent protests broke out overnight, Mayor Dan Horrigan called a state of emergency on Monday.

‘Early yesterday, we had several peaceful protests in the downtown footprint related to the officer-involved shooting of Jayland Walker. These protests did not escalate to violence and destruction,’ stated Horrigan.

‘However, as night fell and others began to join, the protests became no longer peaceful. There was significant property damage done to downtown Akron. Small businesses up and down Main Street have had their windows broken. We cannot and will not tolerate the destruction of property or violence.’

Horrigan also implemented a curfew in the downtown area from 9pm to 6am, and canceled the Fourth of July fireworks.

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