What we know about Jason Walker's shooting death in Fayetteville
Demonstrators have protested each day since Jason Walker was shot and killed by an off-duty Cumberland County sheriff’s lieutenant on Saturday in Fayetteville.
Walker, a 37-year-old single father, was unarmed when he was shot by Jeffrey Hash in front of his home on Bingham Drive. Hash, who was identified by the Sheriff's Office on Monday, is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
The Fayetteville Police Department and county District Attorney announced at a surprise press conference Sunday evening that outside agencies would be brought in to handle the case.
Here’s everything we know so far.
Videos from scene released: Police body cam video from scene of Jason Walker shooting in Fayetteville
Police body cam video: Witness at scene of Jason Walker fatal shooting
Shot in the road
Walker was unarmed when he was shot Saturday afternoon near his home on Bingham Drive, a fairly busy residential street that connects heavily traveled areas of Fayetteville. The death was first made public at 4 p.m. in a news release from the Fayetteville Police Department that said he was shot by a driver after Walker “ran into traffic and jumped on a moving vehicle.”
About six and a half hours later, police issued another statement saying that the driver was an off-duty Cumberland County sheriff’s deputy. The statement did not identify the deputy, but said the case was being handled by the State Bureau of Investigation.
The deputy was identified by the Sheriff’s Office on Monday as Lt. Jeffrey Hash. A statement released by the office said Hash was on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Jason Walker video shows aftermath at scene
A video posted on social media within hours of the shooting showed the aftermath. The video was taken by Chase Sorrell, who was driving along the road when the shooting happened.
Hash can be heard on the video telling a Fayetteville police officer that Walker jumped onto the hood of his pickup, pulled off the windshield wiper and began beating on the windshield.
Sorrell's girlfriend, Elizabeth Ricks, said she tried to help Walker.
One man is seen on the video telling a police officer that he heard four shots, but didn’t see the shooting. Another man tells the officer that Walker flipped or jumped off the hood. The man then points toward Hash and says, "and he jumped out of his car and shot him."
Ricks said that Walker was hit by Hash’s truck and was thrown onto the hood before Hash stepped from it and fired several shots at him.
More: Fayetteville police, DA say outside agencies to investigate shooting death of Fayetteville man
Police Chief Gina Hawkins said in a press conference Sunday that a “black box” in Hash's truck did not register hitting "any person or thing" and the only injuries to Walker's body were gunshot wounds.
Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West said at the press conference that the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys will handle any prosecution should one arise.
Hawkins on Tuesday asked a judge to release body camera footage showing police interviews with three witnesses on scene after the shooting.
Protesters demand answers
Several dozen people or more have gathered each day since the shooting to demonstrate and demand justice for Walker. They have called for Hash to be arrested.
Protests have taken place near the Cumberland County Law Enforcement Center and in front of City Hall, which is close to the Fayetteville Police Department. A march on Wednesday took place near Walker’s home.
More: Protest over Jason Walker's death in Fayetteville
Shaun McMillan, who is part of the Fayetteville Police Accountability Community Taskforce, said on the third night of the protests that officials failed the community by not starting the process that would put Hash in front of a jury to judge whether or not he murdered Walker.
“We have to make sure that he is at least arrested and charged if there's even a hope for justice for Jason,” McMillian said.
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Friends and relatives of Walker, a single father, have described him as a kind person who did not deserve to die the way he did.
The demonstration on Wednesday included prayers and songs. Candles near where Walker died flickered in a cold wind as marchers placed flowers on the ground.
Music that played during the march was silenced as a prayer was said on Walker's behalf.
Fayetteville city officials respond
Fayetteville City Manager Doug Hewett sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Michael F. Easley Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Hewett asked the department “to review all of the facts and circumstances of this tragedy to determine whether any involvement or investigation from the Department of Justice is warranted.”
Hewett said Fayetteville officials have “full faith” that the State Bureau of Investigation will thoroughly investigate the death.
“However, members of City Council believe strongly that your department’s involvement or assistance with any investigation will help our citizens trust that the investigation will be both thorough and transparent,” he said.
More: Fayetteville City Council vote to request Justice Department support in Jason Walker's death
The letter also says city officials would like federal officials to review the city’s response and policies.
“While I have the utmost confidence in our Police Department, I understand a review of this tragic incident may help our community during this difficult time as we await the results of the independent investigation,” Hewett said.
The letter is dated Wednesday and was included in a statement released that day by three members of the City Council.
In their statement, Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, Councilwoman Shakeyla M. Ingram, and Councilwoman Yvonne Y. Kinston sent condolences to the Walker family. They said they acknowledged Police Chief Gina Hawkins for asking the SBI to take the lead on the investigation and noted that the council had asked Hewett to contact the Department of Justice.
“We want to strongly reflect and ensure to our citizens that we are responding to their concerns on these tragic events and our hearts ache with you as we are not only leaders of this city, but neighbors that live in this city with you,” they said. “We all are doing our job to ensure all answers and evidence are presented and will support the SBI in any way we can during this investigation as they are now the lead investigators.”
Mayor Mitch Colvin issued a statement Tuesday night that offered condolences to Walker’s family and the family of Stephen Addison, a 32-year-old Black man who was killed Jan. 3 by another motorist during an apparent traffic dispute that was caught on cellphone camera. An arrest was made in that case.
Colvin said in the statement that as a father and as an African American man he empathizes with the families. He called for residents to come together and look out for one another and not resort to violence.
“My hope is that the justice system conducts a full and thorough investigation and parties responsible are prosecuted to the fullest extent so our community can heal and come together as one Fayetteville, as one Cumberland County,” Colvin said.
Ben Crump involved
National civil rights and personal injury lawyer Ben Crump said on Tuesday that he's been retained by Walker's family. He said in a statement that as a commitment to the family and the young son Walker left behind he wants to find out what happened to Walker when he was shot by Hash.
"We have reason to believe that this was a case of ‘shoot first, ask later,’— a philosophy seen all too often within law enforcement," Crump said.
Crump, who was born in Lumberton, has represented families in numerous high-profile cases. His firm has won numerous multi-million dollar settlements in civil rights cases, according to the firm’s website.
The family of George Floyd was awarded a $27 million settlement in March by the city of Minneapolis, according to the site. Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes.
Breonna Taylor’s family received a $12 million settlement, which the firm’s website called one of the largest payouts for a Black woman who was killed by police. She was shot during the service of a “no-knock” warrant at her Louisville, Kentucky, home.
Crump also represented the family of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was shot and killed while jogging. Arbery’s killers were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Local news editor Steve DeVane can be reached at sdevane@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3572.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Jason Walker Fayetteville: What we know about off-duty deputy shooting
