Chants seeking justice for Jason Walker ring out during Dogwood Festival in Fayetteville

Protesters chanted Jason Walker’s name at the Market House on Saturday evening as residents on their way to Fayetteville’s Dogwood Festival walked by.

Activists organized the event to protest two days after a special prosecutor announced that no charges would be filed against an off-duty Cumberland County sheriff's deputy who shot and killed an unarmed Black man.

NO CHARGES FILED: N.C. special prosecutor: No charges will be filed against Cumberland County deputy in Jason Walker's killing

PROTESTERS REACT: 'I feel unprotected': Fayetteville protesters react to latest in Jason Walker case

Music from the festival could be heard in the distance as a few of the people on the way to the festivities joined in the chants calling for justice for Walker. At times, a few dozen people stopped to watch.

“Say his name, Jason Walker,” the protesters chanted.

Chants and signs also called for the arrest of Lt. Jeffrey Hash, who fatally shot 37-year-old Walker.

The protest started about 6 p.m. About 45 minutes later, four people were taking part and at one point, at least twice as many police officers were nearby.

Fayetteville police Maj. Roberto Ryan said the officers were there because activist Shaun McMillan was using a bullhorn. Officers have told McMillan not to use the bullhorn and have cited him twice for using it, Ryan said.

A little after 7 p.m., officers pulled a police car near McMillan.

“You have been asked to stop with the use of an amplified loudspeaker,” an officer said over the car’s loudspeaker. “If you do not stop, you will be cited. You may continue your first amendment rights without the use of a loudspeaker.”

Officers then approached McMillan and took the bullhorn from him. He and other protesters continued chanting.

Numerous protests have been held in Fayetteville in the more than 100 days since Walker was killed.

On Thursday, special prosecutor Kimberly Spahos, director of the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys, released a statement about her decision in the case. She said that evidence collected at the scene of the killing and statements by statements, made it unlikely that a case against Hash could be proven “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Hash has told investigators that he shot Walker in self-defense. Hash said Walker jumped onto the hood of Hash's personal vehicle and began smashing the windshield with a broken wiper.

“Pursuant to (state law) if Walker was in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering Hash’s truck, Hash is presumed to have held a reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily harm to himself or another,” the statement said. “Once Hash was in reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily harm to himself or another, he was authorized to use deadly force against Mr. Walker — whether that deadly force was driving away at a high rate of speed and potentially causing Walker to fall off and under the truck, shooting Walker from inside the truck, or exiting and shooting him.”

Walker was shot four times, including fatal shots to the head and back. The trajectory of the bullets indicated that Walker did not have his back to Hash when that wound was inflicted, Spahos said.

Staff writer Akira Kyles can be reached at akyles@gannett.com.

Huge savings: $1 for 3 months

Subscribe today to support local journalism and enjoy unlimited digital access including videos, apps, sports news, and more. Special introductory offer for new subscribers only.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Protest for Jason Walker held near Dogwood Festival in Fayetteville