The family of Jayland Walker, a Black man who was fatally shot by Ohio police in 2022, has reached a settlement in their wrongful death lawsuit with the city of Akron. The settlement agreement was confirmed in a joint court filing, though specific details were not disclosed. The lawsuit accused the police of excessive force and claimed a “culture of violence and racism” within the Akron Police Department. The lawsuit was filed in June 2023 following an incident where officers fired 94 bullets at Walker during a high-speed chase two years ago. The family sought a minimum of $45 million in damages from the officers, the city, and its officials. A grand jury had previously decided not to indict the officers involved in the shooting.
Walker was 25 years old when he was killed on June 27, 2022, during a traffic stop. State investigators reported that he fired a single shot from his vehicle before fleeing on foot, leaving his gun in the still-moving car. The police believed Walker posed an imminent “deadly threat” when he refused to surrender, leading them to unleash nearly 100 rounds in less than seven seconds. The settlement between Walker’s family and the city of Akron comes after a group of law enforcement leaders called on police departments nationwide to reform their approach to using physical force in light of escalating fatalities during civilian encounters. The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) issued a report advocating changes in training, procedures, and the treatment of individuals in crisis following an investigation revealing over 1,000 deaths over a decade tied to restraint methods meant to subdue individuals without fatal intent.
The PERF’s recommendations aim to curtail preventable deaths and injuries by refining how and when officers use force. The guidelines include better coordination with medical responders, de-escalation tactics, and adherence to long-standing safety warnings. The research forum’s recommendations will be applied to all incidents officers handle. In response to these findings, the PERF has introduced new guidelines that are aimed at preventing unnecessary deaths and injuries during encounters with law enforcement. The organization is led by law enforcement chiefs and administrators and has previously crafted policy guidelines on using tasers and body cameras at the request of the Justice Department. The initiative is a response to the investigation that revealed numerous deaths tied to restraint methods that were not intended to be fatal.
The settlement between Walker’s family and the city of Akron signifies a step towards justice for the family after the tragic loss of their loved one. The lawsuit highlighted issues of excessive force and racism within the Akron Police Department, which the family hopes will be addressed through this legal process. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but the family’s attorneys have announced plans for a press conference to discuss the agreement at the appropriate time. As the legal process unfolds, Akron officials have refrained from commenting on the settlement. The lawsuit followed a decision by a grand jury not to indict the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Jayland Walker, making the settlement an important step for his family in seeking accountability for his death.
