AKRON, United States — Several hundred
protesters marched Sunday in
Akron, Ohio after the release of body camera
footage that showed police fatally shooting a black man with several dozen
rounds of bullets.
اضافة اعلان
As anger rose over the latest police killing of a
black man in the United States, and authorities appealed for calm, a crowd
marched to City Hall carrying banners with slogans such as “Justice for
Jayland.”
The slogan refers to Jayland Walker, 25, who was
killed Monday after officers tried to stop his car over a traffic violation,
police said.
Sunday marked the fourth straight day of protests.
Demonstrations were peaceful but for a tense moment in which some protesters
got close to a line of police and shouted at them.
After the first rally, a crowd of people remained in
the street protesting.
Fearing potential unrest, authorities in the city of
190,000 people moved snowplows and other heavy equipment near the police
department to serve as a barrier.
After initially providing few details of the
shooting, Akron authorities released two videos Sunday: one that was a
compilation of body-camera footage, body-cam still frames and voiceover, and
another of the complete body-cam footage of the entire chase and shooting.
The voiceover explained that Walker did not stop and
drove off. Police engaged in a car chase and said a shot had been fired from
Walker’s vehicle.
After being chased for several minutes, Walker got
out of his car while it was still moving and fled on foot. Officers tried to
subdue him with their tasers, but he kept running.
Several officers finally chased Walker to a parking
lot. The body-cam footage is too blurry to see clearly what happens, but an
initial police statement released after the shooting says he behaved in a way
that caused officers to believe he posed a “deadly threat”.
All of the officers at the scene opened fire on
Walker, shooting multiple times in rapid succession.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident was the latest death of an
African-American citizen at the hands of police, events that have sparked mass
protests over racism and police brutality.
“Many will wish to air their grievances in public,
and I fully support our residents’ right to peacefully assemble,” Akron mayor
Dan Horrigan told a press conference, saying he was “heartbroken” over the
events.
“But I hope the community can agree that violence
and destruction are not the answer.”
He also said an independent investigation was being
conducted.
Police chief Steve Mylett said he didn’t know the
exact number of bullets fired at Walker, but the medical examiner’s report
“indicates over 60 wounds to Mr Walker’s body.”
He added that the eight officers involved in
Walker’s death have been placed on paid administrative leave until the
investigation is complete.
Authorities canceled a festival planned for the July
4th weekend.
Basketball star
LeBron James, an Akron native, said
in a tweet Sunday he was praying for his city.
Read more Region and World
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
