Who Was Jayland Walker and Why Was He Shot Over 60 Times

Jayland Walker was a 25-year-old African-American man from Akron, Ohio, shot and killed by the police on June 27, 2022. The unfortunate victim of what has been dubbed more racially-motivated police violence reportedly had more than 90 bullets shot at him, with more than 60 of those bullets hitting him directly.

The shooting occurred after cops chased Jayland, who had refused to stop after being pulled over for an unspecified traffic violation. The rather bizarre incident has led to widespread protests in Akron, Ohio and the protesters’ demands are clear – an end to police killings of minority groups, blacks especially, and that the officers responsible are held accountable.

As investigations into this unfortunate incident proceed, let’s get a detailed perspective of the victim in question and the circumstances that led to his death.

Jayland Walker Was In His Mid 20s At The Time Of His Death

Jayland Walker was 25 years old when he left this world in what was a frankly unpleasant circumstance. His exact date of birth is unknown, but the fact that Jayland Walker died at 25 years old suggests he was likely born in 1997 or even in 1996, as we do not know if he had already celebrated a birthday in 2022.

Further proceedings have also shown that the late Jayland Walker’s parents (especially his mother) are still alive. And while the name of his parents at the time of writing this, we know he has a sister named Jada Walker, who has appeared in several interviews since the shooting. Jayland Walker is an American citizen who hails from Akron, Ohio, and images of the police violence victim show that he belongs to the African-American ethnic group.

At the moment, every piece of information about Jayland Walker is centered on the events that led to his rather savage death at the hands of those who swore to protect and serve his interests as an American citizen, and as such, there hasn’t been any mention of his formal education background.

These include details of where and when he attended high school and if he is a college graduate. The minute details of his early life are subject to change. Jayland Walker became a hot topic of conversation after news of his death and how it happened filtered into the ears of the public.

As earlier stated, there is nothing yet in the stories about him that has revealed much about his personal and professional life. The result so far is that the media and the public are not yet aware of what Jayland Walker did for a living. Again, this is an aspect of his life that might become public knowledge as the years go by.

Jayland Walker Was Shot Over 60 Times After Fleeing An Attempted Traffic Stop

The name Jayland Walker will live long in the minds of the American public, especially those of the African-American community, because of the nature of his death. According to police reports, the entire fiasco that led to the brutal killing of the 25-year-old began in the early hours of Monday, June 27, 2022, at around 12:30 am.

For Walker, everything seemed normal until he was flagged down by the police for unspecified traffic and equipment violations. The magnitude of the offense currently pales compared to the eventual outcome of the deadly chase that ensued after the now-late Jayland Walker fled from the scene where the police attempted to pull him over.

Police reports and footage from the body camera worn by the officers involved in this fiasco allege that 40 seconds into the chase, gunshots were fired from the silver Buick which the victim was driving and that a flash of light consistent with the muzzle of a firearm was seen on the driver’s side of the vehicle at the time the gunshots were heard.

The chase continued for a few minutes before Jayland Walker slowed down his vehicle, just enough for him to attempt to exit through the driver’s side. The footage allegedly further reveals the fact that a police officer instructed Walker to keep his hands up, and this prompted the now fearful Walker to re-enter his vehicle and exit from the passenger’s side instead.

The vehicle was still in motion, but Jayland was no longer at the wheels and had decided to continue to make his escape from the police on foot. Police statement claim that Walker made his way into a parking lot and that his actions, which involved stopping and turning towards the police officers pursuing him with his hands moving towards his waist and into a firing position, led them to believe that he posed a credible threat to them.

In their defense, the police statement further revealed that the officers had first attempted to use a taser gun to subdue Walker and had only opened fire when that procedure failed. Multiple rounds of police-issued firearms were discharged on Jayland, who was later found to be unarmed. It was also revealed that at least 90 shots, more than 60 of which hit the victim, were fired at Walker before an officer could be heard urging others to cease fire.

Jayland Walker Died From The Injuries He Sustained From Multiple Gun Shot Wounds

Akron Police Chief, Stephen Mylett, revealed that even though he was not sure how many times Walker was shot, he was quite certain that it was a lot and the footage from the body cameras of the officers involved in the shooting backs up the claims about it being a lot.

After the shooting, the police requested medical services for the late Walker, but it was too late as he was confirmed dead on the scene. The medical examiner charged with the responsibility of providing the autopsy report found that Walker died from the injuries he sustained majorly to the face, upper legs, and abdomen.

His assessment of the injuries, which revealed that Jayland Walker’s gunshot wounds were at least 60 in number, was also a bit more accurate than that of the Akron police chief. However, the medical examiner has not determined which of those wounds were entry wounds and which were exit wounds.

Investigations Into The Events That Led To Jayland Walker’s Death Are Still Ongoing

Following the shooting and killing of Jayland Walker, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations has launched an investigation to determine the true nature of the events that led to the death of Jayland Walker at the hands of the police.

One of the things that the police found at the scene of the initial traffic stop was a spent shell casing which was consistent with the firearm, which was also found in Walker’s vehicle after the shooting.

The Walker family has also retained the services of a lawyer named Bobby DiCello. DiCello has conducted his investigations with the help of the footage from the body cameras of the 13 officers at the scene of the shooting. A police report had claimed that Jayland Walker’s stance had appeared threatening before the officers involved decided to use deadly force on him.

DiCello’s statements contradict those reports. According to the lawyer, his team had concluded that nothing in the footage suggested or entertained the idea that the late Walker had fired at the officers. He also said that the footage revealed that Walker was not armed when the police fatally shot him.

As if the killing of the unarmed 25-year-old was not enough, the photos from the medical examiner’s report show that Jayland Walker’s hands were cuffed behind his back when his body was brought in for examination. The decision to handcuff him has been heavily criticized by the representatives of the Walker family and large sections of the Akron public, who believe that the action added an insult to a rather terrible loss.

While Maria Haberfield, a police science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has defended the procedure of cuffing a suspect considered dangerous even after the police have shot him to prevent further threat, DiCello and many others have questioned the inhumane act regardless of the procedure involved.

Further investigations have revealed that the shooting and killing of Jayland Walker was the third police shooting in Akron since December 2021. In addition to that, the body cam footage and the findings of DiCello and his team have directly contrasted the statements given by the police.

History has also shown that the police will lie to cover their tracks, as evidenced by the lie about George Floyd suffering medical distress or incorrectly claiming that 15-year-old Jordan Edwards in Texas was a threat. As things stand, the primary basis for the investigation is whether Walker posed enough threat that required the police to use such lethal force on him.

All indications point to more police brutality as the footage from the incident does not clearly show what Jayland Walker was doing when he turned towards the police officers who were chasing after him. Nothing in the footage also shows when the police allegedly attempted the traffic stop as the footage begins with the officers in pursuit.

Jayland Walker’s Killing Has Sparked Public Outcry

Two days after the killing of Jayland Walker, the residents of Akron took to the streets to protest the killing of yet another black man at the hands of the police. While describing his outrage and shock at what happened, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan has asked the residents to remain patient while investigations are ongoing.

Walker’s family has also endorsed the protests but urged residents to refrain from violence and pursue a peaceful resolution of this conflict between the community and the police. Several community members have expressed their disgust at how police handle infractions by black people.

Hamza Khabir, a member of an activist group known as Law Enforcement Equality Reform, said that black people are shot and killed for offenses that would earn a non-black person nothing but handcuffs. He made this statement while sharing his perspective on the matter with New York Times.

Jayland’s aunt, Lajuana Walker Dawkins, echoed the sentiments of the Walker family when she said they miss him and just want some form of answer and accountability. Jayland Walker’s killing has drawn comparison to similar high-profile cases such as that of Patrick Lyoya, George Floyd, Amir Locke, and Ronald Greene. 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya was shot and killed on April 4, 2022, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Amir Locke was only 22 years old when he was shot and killed on February 2, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On May 10, 2019, 49-year-old Ronald Greene was brutally beaten to death by the Louisiana State Police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while George Floyd, 46 years old at the time of his death, died after an officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes despite pleas from the victim that he could not breathe.

The aggrieved rights activists have also contrasted Walker’s death with how Kentucky police reacted to Lance Storz from Prestonsburg, who killed three police officers, a K9, and wounded five other police officers in Prestonsburg, Eastern Kentucky, with a heavy rifle as they attempted to serve him with a warrant. Reports have revealed that he was arrested but sustained no injuries and was very much alive.

The Officers Involved Have Been Placed On Paid Administrative Leave

Eight officers were directly involved in the shooting and killing of Jayland Walker. The names of these officers have been withheld from the public, most likely for their safety. However, it has been revealed that seven of these officers were white and that the other one was black.

The Police Union have followed procedure by placing all eight officers on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the BCI investigations and their findings which they believe will reveal that the officers were justified in their use of force. The police union also revealed that the eight officers are fully cooperating with the investigation.

The events that led to Jayland Walker’s death were unfortunate. It has made it even more apparent that there is a prejudice toward black people from the police community and that there is an urgent need for radical police reforms, or it will become a question of when and not if we will witness another story like Jayland Walker’s.