Ohio grand jury hears evidence in police killing of Jayland Walker

Possible criminal charges against eight police officers in the fatal shooting of Jayland Walker are now in the hands of a grand jury.

The panel convened Monday in Akron, Ohio, to hear evidence in the case against eight cops who killed Walker on June 27, 2022. The officers have not been publicly identified.

Police tried to pull over Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, for a traffic stop but he sped away. Cops chased him down a highway and said surveillance video captured him firing a single bullet from his speeding car.

During the chase, Walker exited the highway and drove through several city streets before stopping in a parking lot, police said.

Walker hopped out of his vehicle and took off on foot. When he stopped and turned in the parking lot, eight officers opened fire, according to body-camera video. Walker was shot 46 times, according to a medical examiner’s report.

Police said they found a gun, ammunition and a wedding ring in Walker’s car. He was not carrying any weapons when he exited the vehicle and ran.

As Walker lay dying after being shot dozens of times, officers handcuffed his body. The Ohio attorney general’s office investigated the case and will present evidence to the grand jury throughout the week.

“As part of that process, as Ohio law allows, the officers will be invited to testify before the grand jury on their behalf,” Walker family attorney Bobby DiCello said in a statement.

“Keep in mind that if any other Akron citizen was accused of a crime, they would not necessarily be afforded that same privilege. Simply put, it’s a process that favors the officers.”