AKRON, Ohio ‑ The family of Jayland Walker, who was shot and killed by eight Akron officers a year ago, has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Akron, the officers who shot Walker and several other officers and public officials.
The Walker family is alleging excessive force and is seeking at least $45 million in damages — which the family said is $1 million for each bullet that struck Walker.
The police killing of Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, sparked weeks of protests in Akron last summer, occasionally leading to clashes between police and demonstrators and damage to several businesses downtown.
“A year has passed since Jayland Walker was violently ripped away from his family and still they have not been able to achieve justice and accountability,” Bobby DiCello, the family’s Cleveland attorney, said in a press release. “We will use the judicial system to ensure that Jayland Walker and his family get the justice they deserve.”
Stephanie Marsh, a spokeswoman for the city, said the city won’t be responding to the lawsuit.
“The City of Akron does not comment on pending litigation, so we won’t be sharing anything at this time,” she said in an emailed response.
Walker, 25, was shot and killed June 27 after he fled from police first in his car and then by foot. He was unarmed but fired a shot out of his window while fleeing.
Eight officers, who said they thought Walker might still be armed, shot Walker. A gun was recovered in Walker’s car after the shooting. Walker had at least 46 entrance wounds, an autopsy found.
A special grand jury recently decided against indicting the officers.
Mayor, chief, numerous officers and police supervisors are targeted in lawsuit
The lawsuit was filed by Jada Walker, Jayland’s sister and the administrator of his estate, against the city, Mayor Dan Horrigan, Police Chief Steve Mylett, and several police supervisors who were involved in the Walker incident.
The lawsuit is also against the eight officers who shot Walker, though they are listed under numbers, rather than names.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Defendant Shooters are identified using pseudonyms due to the high-profile nature of this matter,” the lawsuit says.
The city has refused to publicly release the names of the officers involved in Walker’s shooting. The Beacon Journal is suing over this issue, with a lawsuit pending before the Ohio Supreme Court.
Read the Walker family lawsuit against Akron
Contributing: N’dea Yancey-Bragg and Terry Collins, USA TODAY. Stephanie Warsmith can be reached on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.
