AKRON, Ohio — A national march for Jayland Walker on Wednesday drew hundreds of supporters to the city, including families of Black men who were killed by police around the nation.
Walker was unarmed when fatally shot last June after officers tried to stop him for a burned-out plate light and a broken taillight. He led them on a chase, during which he fired at them, according to police.
Driving into a parking lot, he left the car wearing a ski mask and ran. When he stopped and turned, police said they perceived him as threatening and fired more than 90 rounds, hitting him 46 times.
Jayland Walker with his sister, Jada Walker, (left) and his mother Pam Walker. (Courtesy of the Walker family)
“Jayland was a quiet, kind and beautiful young man who was aspired to be a business owner,” his mother, Pam Walker, told those gathered. She described him as devoted to his family, often joining them for a meal or to watch movies.
“Our home was always filled with joy when Jayland was over,” she said through tears. “We never wanted him to leave.”
Grand jury declines to indict
In April, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the eight Akron officers involved in the shooting would not be indicted.
“Every day, every minute, every hour I’m thinking about what happened to my son and my heart breaks all over again,” Walker said, pointing to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation probe and special grand jury decision.
About 200 people marched in Akron on Wednesday, including the families of other Black men killed by police around the country. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
Walker family attorney Bobby DiCello said the family will pursue a list of demands locally and at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., when protesters travel there on the anniversary of Walker’s death.
Political analyst and commentator Rev. Mark Thompson encouraged those in attendance to join the group who will head to the capital on buses.
“Demand they open their own investigation into the assassination, really the lynching, of Jayland Walker,” he said. “Turn the Dept. of Justice into the department of Justice for Jayland.”
Cleveland Pastor Aaron Phillips said he is “sick and tired of being sick and tired” as the problem is the same across the country — the people who are supposed to protect families are killing them.
“That should make us mad,” he said. “We didn’t bring this fight — this fight was brought to us. But because it was brought to us, baby, you better believe I am ready to fight, and we are going to keep on standing and standing together for all of us.”
A demonstrator shows a handmade sign decrying racial injustice while Sen. Vernon Sykes speaks with Summit County Councilwoman Veronica Sims in the background. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
Jayland’s Law and other demands
The march, organized by Freedom Bloc, Akron NAACP, Ashworth Temple, Akron Urban League and other groups, served as a platform for DiCello to explain the family’s demands.
The marchers gathered in front of the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown Akron, where DiCello laid out the demands, including a proposal for the enactment of Jayland’s Law.
Jayland’s Law would:
- make it unlawful for officers to chase someone fleeing from a traffic stop
- create a policy that all police vehicles be equipped with dash cams
- create a policy in which all on-duty officers have body-worn cameras activated during their entire shift
- create an unarmed traffic enforcement unit for routine traffic stops
- create an unarmed protest safety squad that would act as first responders
- eliminate the use of tear gas and rubber bullets on nonviolent protesters
Demonstrators marched through the city, ending at the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
Additional demands include:
- the state making public the full transcript of the grand jury proceedings
- the city firing and demanding the resignation of the eight officers involved in the shooting
- the city officially releasing the names of the officers involved in the shooting
- the U.S. Department of Justice conducting a pattern-of-practice investigation into the Akron Police Department,
- the state of Ohio eliminating “qualified immunity,” which protects some government officials, including police officers, from lawsuits by people claiming their rights were violated, except when an official violates an established natural, legal or constitutional right
“Justice is a step-by-step process,” DiCello told the crowd.
Cephus Johnson, known as “Uncle Bobby,” is the uncle of Oscar Grant, who was 22 when he was fatally shot in California by Oakland police in 2009. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
Families support one another
One theme repeated by speakers was the need to support grieving families.
Cephus Johnson, known as “Uncle Bobby,” who traveled from California for the march, is the uncle of Oscar Grant who was 22 when he was shot by Oakland police in early 2009.
Grant’s death, considered the flash point of the Black Lives Matter movement, was made into the movie Fruitvale Station in 2013, which portrays the last 24 hours of Grant’s life, his killing and the aftermath.
Johnson stressed the importance of surrounding the Walker family with love and support, and being physically present when they go to court.
Sabrina Foster talks about her son, former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Glenn Foster Jr. Foster, who was fatally shot in December 2021. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
“This whole entire community’s eyes are on this case,” he said. “That is a significant responsibility that we have in making sure that the family knows that they have the community support, and that the system knows that everybody is enraged at what happened and expects accountability. Accountability is critical.”
Marquetta Williams, whose husband, 46-year-old James Williams, was fatally shot by Canton, Ohio police in 2022 after shooting off a gun from his fenced patio on New Year’s Day, said the bottom line for all the families is justice.
“All these lives have been taken by police and it’s ridiculous,” she said. “They don’t tell us anything. They act like they can just gun our families down like they’re animals.”
Reiterating that idea was Andrew Joseph Jr., who traveled to Akron from Florida for the event.
Marquetta Williams’ husband, 46-year-old James Williams, was fatally shot by Canton, Ohio police in 2022 after shooting off a gun from his fenced patio celebrating New Year’s Day. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
“I know when these cameras disappear it’s going to be real dark,” he said of the Walker family’s grief.
His son, Andrew Joseph III, was 14 when he died trying to run across an interstate after sheriff’s deputies detained him before kicking him out of the Florida State Fair in 2014.
Joseph said the families standing behind him don’t have the rights of a dog.
“You see, you couldn’t shoot a dog 94 times without America going crazy,” he said. “You couldn’t stand on a dog for 9 minutes like they did George Floyd.”
Mike Brown Sr. of St Louis stepped to the microphone and said, “Hands up don’t shoot!”
That phrase became one of the battle cries of the BLM movement after his son, 18-year-old Michael Brown, was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.
Brown, who said his son would have been 27 last week, told the crowd he understands the Walker family’s grief.
“It’s a life sentence,” he said. “We’ve got to keep fighting.”
Mike Brown Sr. came to the march from St. Louis, where his son, 18-year-old Michael Brown, was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
Tiffany Rachal’s son, Jalen Randle, 29, was killed last April by a Houston Police officer who was surveilling Randle for outstanding warrants.
“It’s important to note that my son posed no threat to this officer,” she said. “He shot my son in the back of the neck.“
Sabrina Foster of New Orleans, who DiCello is also representing, spoke about her son, former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Glenn Foster Jr. Foster, who was fatally shot in December 2021.
Foster said her son was a good man and a businessman.
“We cannot continue to let them get away with this,” she said. “Someone else’s son is going to be next.”
Thompson noted the substantial size of the group, saying everyone in attendance is joined as a family in their loss.
“None of us can say that’ll never be me or that will never happen to me because it has happened to us,” he said. “These are our families. These are our people.”
A group will travel to Washington, D.C., in June to demand the U.S. Department of Justice open an investigation into the Jayland Walker shooting. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Conn)
