AKRON, Ohio — Akron police are speaking about newly released additional videos showing the aftermath of when officers shot and killed Jayland Walker.
The video release was in response to a legal fight by the Akron Beacon Journal.
You hear the phrase “Go Blue” then the audio is muted.
One police expert says the silence needs an explanation for transparency and accountability.
This body camera video is from June 27 when eight Akron officers shot and killed Walker. Walker was unarmed when he ran from his car after a police chase.
Police said officers heard a shot at the beginning of the chase. Associate professor Kalfani Ture is a former police officer and expert at Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland.
“When they checked the body and realized there was no firearm at that point they were aware there may be some civil and criminal liability,” said Professor Kalfani.
We are not showing you when Walker is on the ground where he is seen raising his arm over his body. Officers did begin to give medical treatment.
Shortly after, you hear the phrase “Go Blue” and the audio is muted.
“What does 'Go Blue' mean? It means at this critical moment I need undivided attention because whatever we say or do can jeopardize the officers involved. The second thing it means is to cut off all surveillance equipment,” said Ture.
But Ture questions the intentions.
“Is this a moment where officers prevaricate, they square up their stories or justifications or is this the moment where the sergeant explains more explicitly what is the protocol? We don’t know that and what it appears to mean is we are seeing evidence of a cover-up,” said Ture.
News 5 Investigators asked Akron police what "Go Blue" means.
“It’s not any sort of a department procedural or chief’s order type of language; each shift might have some type of language that they use,” said Capt. David Laughlin.
Laughlin says depending on circumstances, officers are permitted to mute cameras under procedure.
“One of them is when you don’t have contact with the citizen any longer,” said Capt. Laughlin.
The Fraternal Order of Police says it is procedure to mute video after the event. When the sound on the camera is muted, it shows a blue light.
The video shows officers gathered together.
Captain Laughlin says he hasn't watched all the videos but says there is a supervisor controlling things in what is a fluid, high-stress moment.
“Make sure you figure out which officers discharged their weapon. The most important thing — make sure we don’t leave somebody out, make sure they’re paired up with somebody, sequestered independently,” said Capt. Laughlin.
The eight officers involved are on administrative leave.
The attorneys for Jayland Walker’s family plan to hold a news conference in Akron tomorrow.
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