Akron to pay $4.85M to Jayland Walker's family in fatal police shooting
AKRON, Ohio – The family of Jayland Walker, a Black man who was shot 46 times by police after he fled law enforcement and fired a bullet out of his car window, will receive $4.85 million from the city of Akron, Ohio, as part of a federal lawsuit settlement, the city said in a statement.
The city will pay the Walker family in four installments over the next four years and will continue to examine police policies and procedures, said a joint statement published Monday by the city and Bobby DiCello, an attorney for the Walker family.
"We all agree: Akron should be a place where everyone is safe. We all know there are important problems to address in our community and it is through our continued commitment, courage and conversations we will move our city forward, together," the statement said.
The fatal incident – which touched off weeks of protests and reignited demands for police changes – began on June 27, 2022, when Akron officers attempted to stop Walker, 25, for a broken taillight and license plate light. A cross-town chase ensued, during which Walker fired a round from inside his car before jumping out of the vehicle and fleeing police on foot wearing a ski mask.
Eight Akron police officers shot 94 bullets at Walker, who had left his gun in his car and was unarmed when the officers opened fire. In April 2023, a grand jury found the officers' actions justified and decided against indicting them.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said Walker had fired the first shot and that during the foot pursuit, Walker turned and faced the officers before he reached into his waistband, which officers took as indications that he was grabbing a gun.
DiCello criticized the state's investigation, saying it was not handled fairly and that his client "didn't have a chance," based on the grand jury's decision.
In June 2023, Walker's family filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force and sought $45 million in damages, about $1 million for every bullet that struck Walker. Named in the lawsuit were the city, Mayor Dan Horrigan, Police Chief Steve Mylett, the eight officers who shot Walker and several police supervisors.
Since the lawsuit was filed, several police policies have undergone changes. One came in May when Akron Police Chief Brian Harding announced officers could no longer chase vehicles solely for equipment violations, such as no taillights or cracked windows.
The family's lawsuit was one of three federal lawsuits filed in the aftermath of Walker's death. Each of them has ended in a settlement.
In July, the city settled a lawsuit filed by the Akron Bail Fund and agreed to change how the Akron Police Department responds to and treats protesters. The policies would limit use of force, ban the punishment of free speech and require police to record their actions, according to the settlement.
A month earlier, the city and the University of Akron agreed to pay a combined $767,000 to 26 protesters arrested during one of the city's many demonstrations in the wake of Walker's death.
Bryce Buyakie reports for the Akron Beacon Journal; Christopher Cann reports for Paste BN.