The family and lawyer of a teenager who had a fake gun and was shot by an Akron police officer expressed their outrage at the department and called for the firing of the officer who fired the shot.
Watch the press conference in full:
Body camera footage released by the City of Akron on Monday shows Akron Police officer Ryan Westlake shoot and strike Tavion Koonce-Williams, 15, in the hand immediately after the officer drove up to the scene following a call that someone walking down the street was aiming a gun at houses.
The officer did not know it was a fake gun.
RELATED: Body camera footage shows Akron officer shoot teen who had fake gun
"We shouldn't have to be telling this story," said lawyer Imokhai Okolo.
Okolo called on the department to fire Westlake, and for charges to be filed against him, as well as an investigation into the Akron Police Department by the Department of Justice.
"Akron Police Department needs to be held accountable for the excessive force you use on our Black babies. It is not OK," Tavion's mother, Angel Williams, said. "We are sick and tired of watching our babies die in the hands of people who took an oath to protect and serve."
Tavion's family said the teen has been traumatized and has lost sleep because of the shooting. A bandage was visible on his hand.
The family of 15 yo Tavion Koonce-Williams is calling for the firing of #Akron Officer Ryan Westlake who shot the teen who had a toy gun. They demand accountability from the city and police. pic.twitter.com/jCp1dMJuNH
— Tara Morgan 📺 (@taramorganTV) April 12, 2024
"He has a scar now that will now be a consistent reminder of the trauma he has faced that day," James Koonce, Tavion's father, said.
NAACP Akron President Judi Hill apologized to Tavion.
“We thought we were working with our city and our police department to make some changes, and I’m sorry we didn’t make enough," Hill said.
Hill says officers are trained to assess situations but says Westlake didn't allow for it.
“I agree he shouldn’t have had a toy gun, but an officer who is trained to assess a situation who is an adult and is trained — I’m going to keep saying that should not have shot," Hill said.
What body cam showed
The footage was released Monday, per city law, which requires the city to release footage within a week of a police shooting. The video release by Akron includes a 911 call placed before the shooting and the full interaction with the teenager, edited by police to protect the juvenile subject's identity.
Some viewers may find the video disturbing due to its graphic nature. Blood is visible in the video, and profanity can be heard. News 5 is presenting the video as provided by Akron below:
At about 7:04 p.m. on Monday, April 1, the City of Akron’s communications center received a 911 call from a resident reporting a person with a gun near Newton Street and Tonawanda Avenue, according to the edited video release by Akron Police Monday.
“I’m walking my dog and there is a guy walking down Newton Street and he was aiming a gun at people’s houses. He pulled it out and was acting like he was going to shoot their houses,” the 911 caller said.
The caller said they saw a black gun but could not provide more details on what kind of gun it was. The dispatcher took more details on the person’s description and which direction they were heading.
At about 7:11 p.m., the officer saw a person matching the caller’s description walking on Britain Road near the corner of Ottawa Avenue.
As the officer exited his patrol car, he issued a verbal command for the subject, later identified as a 15-year-old boy, to show his hands and then fires a shot.
The teen immediately starts yelling, “It’s fake! It’s fake!” as the officer announces, “Shots fired!” over his radio.
The officer orders the teen to ground at gunpoint, and the teen drops to the ground while continuing to tell the officer the gun is fake.
The officer handcuffs the 15-year-old, and blood from the shooting wound can be seen on body camera.
More officers arrive, and they remove the cuffs and begin rendering aid to the teen by applying a tourniquet.
As officers attended to the boy’s wound, he told them he was on his way home from his cousin’s funeral.
“I’m a good kid, I get As in school, I play football. I just wanted to be safe. My cousin just died,” he said.
He was then transported to Akron Children's Hospital.
The officer
The City of Akron released the officer's personnel file earlier this week.
The officer, Ryan Westlake, was fired in July 2021 for several policy violations, including for a time when he was extremely drunk and muzzled a gun at his girlfriend.
The officer was reinstated a day later, and given his original 71-day suspension for the violations.
Okolo says Westlake has another questionable use of force.
"Where this officer tazed someone unjustly another officer even tried to stop him from tazing this individual for absolutely no reason," Okolo said.
In response to a question by News 5 Investigators about any pending disciplinary action against Westlake, the city said the personnel file was complete at the time of its release and that not every file on officers is kept with the personnel file.
The city said it will share more information in the coming weeks.
Police are not talking since BCI is investigating.
The teen's grandmother, Karen Robinson, told News 5 earlier this week that she wants to see Westlake charged.
"Why — why — it wasn’t necessary. I just don’t believe in my heart it was necessary," Robinson said.
Westlake, a nine-year veteran of the department, has been placed on paid leave as the state conducts its investigation, officials said.
“At the completion of the investigation, the case will be turned over to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for review before being submitted to the Summit County Grand Jury for evaluation,” a police release said. “A separate internal investigation will be conducted by the Office of Professional Standards and Accountability. The results of their investigation will be provided to the police chief and the City of Akron Police Auditor for their review.”
Police union stands behind officer
The Akron police union said earlier this week it stands by the officer, saying the union is confident the his actions will be deemed justified.
"They’re absolutely wrong, and it’s disgusting time and time again this FOP will stand up for these officers," Okolo said.
Read the Akron Fraternal Order of Police's full statement below:
The Fraternal Order of Police, Akron Lodge 7 understands and appreciates the public's concern regarding the critical Incident that took place Monday April 1, 2024 in Akron's Goodyear Heights neighborhood.
This is an extremely difficult situation for everyone involved. There is always a concern each time an officer is faced with the incredibly challenging, split-second decision to defend himself and others against an armed suspect. Our officers work hard every day to keep the community safe. Unfortunately, there are times when an officer is faced with the complex decision to use lethal force.
We will work with all agencies involved and cooperate with investigations into the incident.
We are confident when all the facts are released, our officer's actions will be deemed justified.
On Friday, it also released the following statement:
The Fraternal Order of Police, Akron Lodge 7, will continue to support our brother in reference to the OIS on April 1st, 2024. There has been a lot of media coverage surrounding this incident. The FACTS surrounding this incident have not changed. This was a citizen-generated call for service regarding a subject pointing a gun at houses in Akron's Goodyear Heights neighborhood. When the officer arrived on the scene, he was forced to make a split-second decision, as the suspect pulled a gun from his waistband. Immediately after being forced to discharge his weapon, he and other officers on scene began rendering medical treatment. Again, those are the facts. This officer's personnel file has nothing to do with this incident; however, that's what is being talked about, not the FACTS. We believe there are discrepancies in the personnel file and look forward to setting the record straight through our due process. This suspect has been referred to as "a teenager" by his attorney. Additionally, his attorney and others speaking on the suspect's behalf have stated that Ohio is an open carry state. This was a misrepresentation of the facts provided today by the suspect's attorney/ To clarify, Ohio is an open carry state for QUALIFIED ADULTS over the AGE of 18. No part of Ohio law allows for teenagers to open carry firearms in public.
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