AKRON — A special grand jury has voted against indicting eight Akron police officers involved in the 2022 deadly shooting of Jayland Walker.
The officers shot and killed 25-year-old Walker after an attempted traffic stop led to a police chase in June 2022.
The nine primary jurors selected by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost began reviewing over 140 items of evidence on April 10, according to WOIO, our CBS affiliate in Cleveland.
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Police had previously said Walker fired a gun during the chase. Officers chased the car until Walker bailed from the still-moving vehicle and ran from police. Officers then chased him into a parking lot, News Center 7 previously reported.
A handgun, loaded magazine and a wedding ring were found on the driver seat of Walker’s car, the Associated Press reported.
Police union officials said the officers thought there was an immediate threat of serious harm and that their actions were in line with their training and protocols.
The blurry body camera footage did not clearly show what authorities say was a threatening gesture Walker made before he was shot. Police chased him for about 10 seconds before officers fired from multiple directions, a burst of shots that lasts 6 or 7 seconds.
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The eight officers, whose names have been withheld from the public, initially were placed on leave, but they returned to administrative duties 3 1/2 months after the shooting.
A county medical examiner said Walker was shot at least 40 times. The autopsy also said no illegal drugs or alcohol were detected in his body.
Officials confirmed that 94 shots were taken at Walker during the incident, WOIO reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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