AKRON, Ohio — Our media partners at the Akron Beacon Journal have shared with News 5 more body camera video they obtained of the Akron Police shooting of 25-year-old Jayland Walker.
Walker was shot and killed by police on June 27 after an attempted traffic stop that turned into a police chase, during which police said Walker fired a gun at them.
Akron Police released the body camera footage from the incident on July 3, but the footage stopped after the shots were fired.
Akron Beacon Journal spent the last two months in a legal battle to get the entirety of the body camera video from the city. In a letter to the city of Akron, dated Aug. 17, the Akron Beacon Journal states even though police did release some of the video within seven days of the city’s police camera ordinance, the released footage stops immediately after the officer’s use of force, stating, "Thereby omitting everything that happens afterwards."
The new video ABJ shared with News 5 was given to them by police.
It gives some insight into the evidence gathering and officers’ mindsets after the shots were fired.
As Walker’s body lies on the ground, officers ask one another multiple times if anyone can see the weapon.
“Can anyone see the gun? Can anyone see the gun,” an officer asks. Another one answers, “We don’t know. We can’t see it.”
Walker was unarmed when he ran from his car, but police said there was a gun and a shell casing recovered in his car. The department released a picture showing where the gun was recovered. In the new video, there’s no footage showing the recovery of the gun, only about 5 minutes after the shots were fired.
“Okay, we have shots fired by police. We are all okay. Get a med-unit going, we have the subject down,” said an officer in one of the videos.
Police approach Walker together, examining his injuries, applying pressure and calling for medical help.
An officer then tells someone, “I’ll handle this. You can sequester them.”
Akron's Police Chief Stephen Mylett told News 5 on July 3 that the eight officers who shot their guns were immediately sequestered after the shooting.
“Anybody who shot, go over here for me,” you can hear in the tape.
Officers walk away and are making sure one another is okay.
“Everybody make sure you’re good. Take a deep breath,” one said.
Seconds later, in four of the eight officer’s body camera footage, you can clearly hear officers say the phrase "Go Blue" and shortly after the audio is muted in all of the videos.
“Everybody go blue,” one said.
In one of the videos an officer asked "Blue or off?” to which someone said "Blue,” and the audio is cut.
Then, without audio, for about a minute and a half, the involved officers are in a circle around each other, but it’s unknown what is said.
The majority of the body camera footage released ends as officers are paired with uninvolved officers and put in separate police cars to give statements.
All of the officer’s faces and other identifying factors were blurred in the video released to the Akron Beacon Journal.
News 5 reached out to the Akron Police Department for comment and a spokesperson said they will have someone available on Monday.
The Walker family attorney, Bobby DiCello, said they will be reviewing all of the footage and will respond after it has been analyzed in accordance with their own investigation.
