Akron mayoral candidates call for change after grand jury decision in Jayland Walker case

Akron's mayoral candidates are calling for peaceful protests and for coming together to work through the city's challenges after a grand jury decided not to file charges Monday against the eight Akron officers who shot and killed Jayland Walker last June.

Ohio Attorney General David Yost said in an afternoon news conference that the grand jury, which started meeting last week, issued a no-bill, meaning there will be no charges at the state level, although he added that this does not rule out a potential wrongful death civil lawsuit.

In addition, Akron police will conduct a separate internal investigation to determine if any department regulations were violated by the officers.

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The eight Akron officers fatally shot Walker 46 times on June 27 after he led them on a crosstown car chase, during which police say the 25-year-old Black man fired a single shot from his vehicle. Walker was unarmed and running in a ski mask when he was shot after a short foot chase near Wilbeth Road and South Main Street. A handgun was found in his vehicle, police said.

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REACTIONS FROM AKRON MAYORAL CANDIDATES:

Shammas Malik, Akron Ward 8 councilman

Shammas Malik, the Ward 8 representative on Akron City Council, said that while the grand jury declined to issue indictments against the officers, it doesn't mean that what happened to Walker was right.

"We can and should review all of the information being released by the Ohio Attorney General’s office, including evidence that Jayland fired a weapon during the chase," Malik said in an email. "But I want to be clear − there can be no justification for the brutal amount of force in the video of Jayland’s last moments. What we have witnessed is a systemic failure that demands change from our police department.

"In Akron and across our country, true justice will only come when policies and culture are changed to ensure that Black residents are treated with the fairness and respect that is every person’s birthright. In Akron, we have a long way to go. Together, we can honor Jayland Walker’s life and his family’s grief by creating justice in our city."

Keith Mills, teacher

Candidate Keith Mills, a teacher, said his heart was with Walker's family.

"Its unfortunate it went this way," Mills said of the grand jury's decision in an email. "I'm still there in my heart with the Jayland Walker family. This continues to happen more often than not. Something has to change. We want to call for peace and call for peaceful protests but I understand the anger involved in this."

Tara Mosley, Akron Ward 5 councilwoman

Tara Mosley, Akron City Council's Ward 5 representative, called for both the police and those protesting to avoid violence.

"Only then do we give ourselves the best chance to heal our grieving city," Mosley said in an emailed statement. "We should never forget that there is a real family at the center of this tragedy — the Walker family. From the beginning, they have been nothing but gracious as their private pain has sparked public outcry. We should live up to their example."

However, Mosley was critical of what she saw as a lack of transparency in the aftermath of the shootings.

"I believe that we should have done more to give people faith in the process," Mosley said. "This would include more transparency from the government in the immediate wake of Walker’s killing. Also, we should not have prematurely boarded up and fortified the city, making it look more like a war zone than a place where jurors could peacefully deliberate, consider the evidence, and make a decision.

"Still, putting aside that we could have done more to avoid undermining trust in the grand jury’s decision, that decision is still limited. The grand jury may have concluded that there was not sufficient probable cause to charge the officers who killed Jayland Walker with a crime. But they did not, and could not, decide that it was just to kill Jayland Walker, or that it was wise or right to kill Jayland Walker, or whether the law should change to better protect people like Jayland Walker. Those decisions are not for the grand jury; they are for the people of Akron."

Joshua Schaffer, retail store manager

Candidate Joshua Schaffer, who works as a retail store manager, also called for protests to remain peaceful.

"We love our city, so it's counterproductive to destroy property whether private, nonprofit, or government," Schaffer said in an email. "Our neighbors live, work and serve our community from those buildings. Out of control protestors will only fuel mistrust between the community and the police."

Marco Sommerville, deputy mayor of Akron

Marco Sommerville, deputy mayor of Akron, called for unity as the city tackles its challenges.

"My heart goes out to the family and memory of Jayland Walker. I can’t know what the family is feeling right now. But I do know that community safety and police reform go together, and Akron needs both," Sommerville said in a texted statement. "We need our law enforcement members and our community members to commit to lasting change. This has been a big part of my life’s work. In the days, months and years ahead, that commitment will continue."

Jeffrey E. Wilhite, District 4 Summit County councilman

Jeffrey E. Wilhite, who represents District 4 on Summit County Council, also extended his thoughts to Walker's family.

"What they are going through is unimaginable and my hope is that as a community we can work together to prevent another tragedy like this in the future," Wilhite said in an emailed statement. "I am committed to that work of making our city truly safe for all of our residents. I know that disappointment will be felt throughout the community today. As a community we must respect the call of the Walker family to gather in peace. Now is the time for all residents of the city to galvanize our collective efforts to make positive changes."

Mark Greer, former small business manager for Akron

Candidate Mark Greer, who had been small business program manager for the city of Akron before stepping down recently, said he attended the news conference at St. Ashworth Temple where the Walker family and their attorneys responded to the grand jury's decision.

"The news hit me like a rock," Greer said. "The weight of this decision, much like the wait for justice, has grown heavy. Too heavy for us to carry alone. From the streets today, I watched as construction vehicles moved heavy barricades into place throughout downtown. And yet all I could think of was would we as a city come together to carry the burdens laid upon our brothers’ backs, those that are far heavier than concrete. These are the burdens of untold years of injustice, of lives lost, humanity devalued, dreams deferred, and voices unheard. Burdens that cannot be carried as long as we stand apart, wondering why those of us still under their weight continue to struggle."

"Everyone must come together to work together for the city to progress."

"There is no Akron without all of us," Greer said. "No progress unless none of us are left behind. And no real sense of community unless members of every race, creed and color unite behind the righteous cause of justice, accountability, and truth. This is the time where we as a city must forge a new direction. There must be systemic change and reform in our law enforcement, one built upon trust, transparency, and accountability, and still ensuring the safety of our neighborhoods and communities."

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Akron leaders to call for peace at news conference Tuesday

Sommerville and Bishop Joey Johnson, two members of “Tribal Trauma Triage,” plan to gather community leaders at a news conference Tuesday to call for stability and peace following the grand jury decision.

The conference will start at 1 p.m. at The House of the Lord, 1650 Diagonal Road in Akron.

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Speakers will include Sommerville; Johnson; Sharon Connor, Akron Ward 10 councilwoman; Dr. Ciara Dennis-Morgan, clinical director Minority Behavioral Health Group; and pastor Mike Irby, president of 100 Black Men of Akron.

Tribal Trauma Triage is a newly formed group of African American pastors and civic leaders convened by Sommerville and facilitated by Johnson in the wake of the Walker tragedy. It brings together pastors, representatives from Akron Public Schools and the Akron Police Department, city of Akron staff members and representatives of The Freedom BLOC.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron mayor candidates urge change, peace after grand jury decision