Protesters in front of Akron City Hall, Ohio, to protest the murder of Jayland Walker by police. (Matthew Hatcher / AFP via Getty Images)
Lawyer representing the family of Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old black man who was killed last month by police in Akron, Ohio, in a rain of bullets after an attempt to stop traffic, he believes that city officials are doing more to protect police officers than members of their own community.
“Yes [city leaders] they were focused on protecting Jayland, they shouldn’t be protecting anyone right now, “lawyer Bobby DiCello told Yahoo News.” Since nothing was found on his system, he stressed the nonsense. [of his killing]. He panicked and paid for it with his life. “
A preliminary autopsy report released Friday revealed that Walker received 46 bullets or scraped by police and died from blood loss from his internal injuries.
At a news conference announcing the autopsy findings, Dr. Lisa Kohler, the Summit County forensic doctor, said her office could not determine how many bullets were fired at Walker or what bullet might have -he ended up killing him, but concluded that “there were several very devastating wounds that would cause death.”
Jayland Walker. (Family photo)
The release of Walker’s autopsy report, DiCello said, “doesn’t change anything” about the case, except to show where city officials are. At the very least, he said, Walker’s family deserves a public apology.
“They could have posted the autopsy and an apology, but they didn’t,” DiCello said. “The reason is because they are afraid of the judicial process.”
“The issue should be, ‘Where is the public apology?’ family behind closed doors, but they have not done so publicly.
“Enough of the nice, calm words,” DiCello said. “We’re not interested in secret concern. We’re interested in a public apology for taking a life that wasn’t necessary.… At the end of the day, not a bullet should have been fired.”
Neither Horrigan nor Mylett immediately returned Yahoo News’ comment request.
The story goes on
Members of the sheriff’s department with riot gear are on the lookout as protesters gather in front of Akron City Hall to protest Walker’s murder. (Matthew Hatcher / AFP via Getty Images)
Walker was killed in the early hours of the morning of June 27 after law enforcement said they had tried to arrest him for an unspecified traffic and equipment violation. He allegedly refused to stop, leading police in a nearly 20-minute car chase followed by a brief chase on foot before his body was riddled with dozens of bullets.
Police say Walker shot them while they were in the car, though relatives are skeptical of the claim. Officers also say that during the chase on foot, they believed he was approaching his waist to grab a gun, which precipitated his shots.
According to officials, about 100 bullets were fired from at least eight of the 13 weapons of the officers who responded. Walker was unarmed at the time he was killed, though Mylett says he recovered a gun from his car after the shooting.
Jayland Walker in an undated family photo. (Family photo of Walker)
The eight officers who unloaded the weapons have been placed on administrative leave in accordance with the policy of the Police Department.
The fact that five officers showed different levels of restraint in the pursuit of Walker that day, DiCello said, shows that killing him was unnecessary.
Given the intense emotions shown since the murder, with weeks of protests in and around Akron, DiCello added, apologizing is not just right, it is necessary.
“[Walker] he was shot more than 90 times while fleeing from officers, “he said.” We have been urging community leadership to take responsibility, and that would do much to relieve tension. Everything people are doing now hurts. They are hurting and afraid. The city needs to know that blaming Jayland is the worst approach. “
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Thumbnail cover photo: Matthew Hatcher / AFP via Getty Images