An Ohio grand jury opted not to indict eight police officers who were involved in the shooting death of 25-year-old Jayland Walker.
Walker was killed on June 27, 2022, following an attempted traffic stop and police chase in Akron. Walker eventually bailed out of his car and a foot chase began. Officers ultimately opened fire after they claimed Walker "made motions" that caused them to fear for their lives.
The preliminary report from the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office showed Walker had sustained 46 bullet entrance and graze wounds to his body. The shooting set off a wave of protests in Akron, where people urged accountability and change.
Medical examiner: Jayland Walker was shot more than 40 times
Akron police, who tried to pull Walker over for equipment violations June 27, acknowledged initial findings showing more than 60 wounds on his body.
Reacting to the decision, Akron Councilwoman Tara Mosley said she respects the grand jury, but called on citizens to continue demanding change.
"The grand jury may have concluded that there was not sufficient probable cause to charge the officers who killed Jayland Walker with a crime. But they did not, and could not, decide that it was just to kill Jayland Walker, or that it was wise or right to kill Jayland Walker, or whether the law should change to better protect people like Jayland Walker," she said. "Those decisions are not for the grand jury; they are for the people of Akron."
President Joe Biden said during a visit to Ohio last year that the Justice Department and FBI were monitoring the case. It's unclear if potential federal charges are on the table.
This story was originally reported by Scripps News Cleveland.
