Video of Jayland Walker shooting in Akron 1:59 sparks doubt and anger
(CNN) — An autopsy revealed that Jayland Walker, the unarmed man who was shot dead by police in Akron, Ohio, at the end of a high-speed chase, had 46 gunshot wounds or abrasions, Dr.
His death was due to blood loss from his internal injuries, and the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, Kohler said.
Tests found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in his system, he added.
Walker, a 25-year-old black man, was shot while running from police officers who were trying to stop him for an alleged traffic violation. At his funeral on Wednesday, he was remembered as being gentle, caring and kind.
Details of the case continue to emerge as the public inquiry into law enforcement’s use of force in the United States, particularly against people of color, comes to light. Walker was black, while seven of the eight officers who shot him are white and one is black, according to the city. All have been placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy.
Kohler said entry wounds from the gunshots included:
- 15 to Walker’s torso, where he sustained internal injuries to his heart, lungs, liver, spleen, left kidney, intestines and multiple ribs.
- 17 to the pelvis and thighs where the right aorta to the leg and bladder was injured and the pelvis and both thigh bones were fractured.
- 1 to the face, with a broken jaw.
- 8 in the arms and right hand.
- 5 on the knees, right leg and right foot.
Walker’s family and representatives were able to review the report at a news conference prior to the announcement, Kohler said.
His cousin Roddray Walker Jr. told CNN on Friday, “I feel like we sang ‘Zero Threat, Zero Violence.'”
“I keep saying his name. A young black man from Akron, Ohio who wanted to explore the world, a vivacious young man who loved to travel, even planned to come to Houston to attend the rodeo, the revival festival and even a live WWE event see,” he said.
“So her life was taken too soon… My focus is on educating my daughters about what just happened and the tragedy behind it. And then what we can do locally to raise awareness and get involved in the community and show that we are not a threat to society.
According to the coroner, Walker was not tested for gunpowder residue. Akron police charged him with firing a shot out of a window. A gun was later found in his car. Police said he was unarmed when he died.
Gunpowder residue tests can detect specific particles associated with a firearm’s discharge, “but the results of these tests are inconclusive as to whether or not the person fired a gun,” Kohler said.
The FBI stopped testing in 2006, stopped collecting this sample in 2016, and no longer purchases collection kits.
The NAACP wants a Justice Department investigation
Again, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Thursday asked the Justice Department to investigate the shooting, describing it as a “horrifying murder” in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“No one is above the law, including law enforcement. Those responsible for chasing and shooting him are 90
Bullets must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in the letter. “We urge you and your Department of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder of Jayland Walker, and if what we have seen with our own eyes is true, charge the officers responsible for her gruesome murder federal level.
“It is time law enforcement officials were held accountable for the differential treatment of black Americans,” Johnson added in the letter. “We pray that your department will initiate this critical investigation to seek justice in this case.”
A Justice Department spokesman said: “The Office of the United States Attorney General, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the FBI Field Office in Akron, Ohio are closely monitoring and reviewing the circumstances of Jayland Walker’s death. The FBI continues to coordinate with state and local partners to provide resources and expertise. If evidence reveals possible violations of federal criminal statutes, the Department of Justice will take appropriate action.”
A spokesman for the Akron Police Department said it “reserved any comment on the report.”
– CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.