Showing posts with label Akron Police. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Akron Police. Show all posts

Friday, July 15, 2022

NAACP calls for Department of Justice to investigate death of Jayland Walker

The NAACP is making a direct plea to Attorney General Merrick Garland for the Justice Department to open a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting death of Jayland Walker, the Black man who was killed last month by officers in Akron in a hail of police gunfire.

“No one is above the law, including law enforcement. Those responsible for hunting him down and firing 90 bullets at him should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We are urging you and your Department of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder of Jayland Walker, and – if what we all saw with our own eyes is true – federally charge the officers responsible for his gruesome assassination,” Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“If the officers’ conduct did not scream just how inhumane and fatally dangerous they are, the very fact that they handcuffed his corpse speaks volumes. This does not happen to white people in America,” Johnson said. “Just over a week ago, a mass shooter was detained as a ‘person of interest’ before being officially charged 24 hours later. He killed seven people and wounded countless others at a parade, yet officers did their job professionally and arrested him with dignity.”

“It is time to hold law enforcement officials accountable for treating Black Americans by different standards. We pray that your department will launch this critical investigation in the quest for justice in this case,” he added.

The Justice Department has yet to comment on the letter.

Wednesday, July 06, 2022

Congressional Black Caucus statement on the killing of Jayland Walker

Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty released the following statement on the police shooting of Jayland Walker:

"On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, I extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jayland Walker. From every account, he was a family man loved by many. He should still be alive today.

The body camera footage is gut-wrenching and leaves us with far more questions than answers. The conduct of the officers and all involved must be investigated without delay.

The Akron Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office must conduct a thorough and transparent investigation and provide regular updates to the community.

Jayland’s family, the Akron community, and all of us deserve to know what happened and what the department will change to ensure routine traffic stops do not lead to more unnecessary deaths.

Far too many Black people in America are killed at the hands of police during alleged traffic violations, and we cannot remain silent. This is not an acceptable outcome, and we can no longer afford to be merely outraged and heartbroken.

While we have seen action on police reform in recent months, it is clear there is more work to do." - Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty.