City of Akron pays $4.85 million to family of Jayland Walker

Akron, Ohio, has agreed to pay nearly $5 million to the family of Jayland Walker, a Black man whom police officers shot more than 40 times after a car chase. 

In a joint statement released Monday, city officials and the family announced a settlement for $4,850,000 to be paid in four installments over the next four years. 

“We all agree: Akron should be a place where everyone is safe,” the statement said. “We all know there are important problems to address in our community and it is through our continued commitment, courage, and conversations we will move our city forward, together.”

The statement added that the mayor’s office has “prioritized ongoing dialogue and engagement between city leaders and the community, including the Walker family, to examine policies and procedures and make improvements where needed for the safety of all residents.”

Walker, 25, was fatally shot on June 27, 2022, after a traffic stop for a broken taillight and license plate light turned into a car chase. At one point during the chase, a gunshot went off inside Walker’s car. 

When the chase ended, Walker exited his car without his gun and ran. Officers fired 94 shots at Walker, continuing to fire after he fell to the ground. Forty-six bullets hit Walker, and he was handcuffed after the shooting. 

Walker’s family filed a lawsuit against Akron in June 2023, seeking $45 million — what they said was “$1 million for each bullet.” Walker’s family argued that police used excessive force when they fatally shot Walker.

That same month, a group of civil rights organizations sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging the Department of Justice to open a federal civil rights investigation into the eight police officers involved in the shooting. 

Though the officers directly involved in the shooting were put on administrative leave following the incident, all eight were reinstated by Oct. 10, 2023. 

An Ohio grand jury declined to indict the officers.