Akron, Ohio Cancels Fireworks And Declares Downtown Curfew In Wake Of Jayland Walker Police Killing
Following a night of protests, the City of Akron issued an overnight curfew for the downtown area and canceled Fourth of July fireworks scheduled for Monday night.
According to the Akron Beacon-Journal, the Akron Police Department reported that approximately 50 adults were arrested after the curfew was announced just after midnight Sunday. Charges included rioting, failure to disperse and misconduct during an emergency.
"A team of officers provided multiple verbal commands and other instructions and offered a reasonable amount of time to comply," a news release reads, according to the newspaper. "Due to growing concerns that the situation could further escalate, paired with the refusal to comply with a lawful order to disperse, officers deployed a chemical irritant to prevent further rioting and property damage."
The Beacon-Journal additionally reports that the curfew for downtown Akron will remain from 9 p.m. until another order has been issued lifting the curfew.
On Sunday, Akron police released video of officers shooting 25-year-old Jayland Walker on June 27. Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett said the incident began began when officers attempted to stop Walker’s car for unspecified traffic and equipment violations, however less than a minute into a pursuit the sound of a shot was heard from the car and a transportation department camera captured what appeared to be a muzzle flash coming from the vehicle Walker was in. Mylett claims this turned the case from “a routine traffic stop to now a public safety issue.”
A few minutes later, police say the car slowed down with Walker emerging from the still-moving vehicle wearing a ski mask and fleeing on foot. A handgun, a loaded magazine and a wedding ring were discovered on a seat in the vehicle.
The video shows Walker being shot by officers continuously once he reached a parking lot. Mylett says that while Walker’s actions at the time are hard to distinguish, a still photo seems to show him “going down to his waist area” and another appears to show him turning toward an officer and a third “captures a forward motion of his arm.”
"Each officer independent of each other related that they felt that Mr. Walker had turned and was motioning and moving into a firing position," Mylett added.
During the Sunday afternoon press conference, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, along with Mylett and Walker’s family called for peaceful protests and patience.
The escalation of protests, some of which reportedly involved violence and property damage, escalated Sunday night into Monday morning after it had been peaceful in the days prior.
Demetrius Travis Sr., a cousin of Walker, said in a statement that the Walker family doesn't condone the "violent protest."
"We understand people are angry and frustrated not only with (the) senseless killing of our loved one Jayland Walker, but many other senseless killings of people of color at the hands of predominantly white officers across the nation, but please we ask that you protest peacefully in the fight to get justice for Jayland," Travis said, according to the Beacon-Journal.
