“25 Year Old Unarmed Black Man Gunned Down by Police”
In recent news, another unarmed Black man was shot and killed by police officers in Akron, Ohio. The man, identified as 25-year-old Jayland Walker, suffered injuries and died during a traffic stop, suffering more than 60 gunshot wounds.
Writers Daniel McGraw and Luke Vander Ploeg, in their 2022 article for The New York Times, “Videos of Jayland Walker Shooting by Police Raise More Questions”, write, “Jayland Walker, who died last Monday after fleeing the police during what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop… At a news conference on Sunday, the police released body camera videos of the pursuit and shooting that showed officers’ actions but deepened many questions around his death, which remains under investigation.”
Initially stopping Walker for a routine traffic violation, Walker also had no previous criminal record. Eight officers involved in the murder have been placed on administrative leave.
Following the release of camera footage, protesters marched in downtown Akron demanding justice.
McGraw and Vander Ploeg continue by writing, “police said during the news conference that a handgun was later found in Mr. Walker’s car and that a bullet casing was found where they said he fired and that it was consistent with the weapon found in Mr. Walker’s vehicle… in the news conference, the police did not address whether the handgun in the car was unloaded but said there was a loaded magazine on the seat.”
This story has been reported on several times before. Unarmed Black man or woman gunned down at the hands of law enforcement. This incident has occurred enough times for it to no longer be seen as an accident. In an era where body camera footage becomes the smoking gun in criminal investigations and in the court of public opinion, the role of racial profiling has become a recurring theme.
Citizens of Akron, Ohio echo the same sentiments of Ferguson, Missouri and Minneapolis, Minnesota. They want justice. They want an explanation. They want to know they are safe and protected. All of this can and should be given by the police force, the very governing body whose salaries are funded by the taxes paid by these citizens.
Rashad Ray, Senior Fellow – Governance Studies for Brookings Institution, in his 2020 article, “How Can We Enhance Police Accountability In The United States?”, writes, “Standard processes for holding police officers accountable, issuing civil payouts to victims of brutality, and rehiring fired officers are a few of the factors that contribute to the entrenchment of racism and police brutality…officers can be put on desk duty, paid or unpaid leave, or fined at a prorated amount in future paychecks. The problem is that all these actions are typically internal to policing. They are rarely known outside the department until long after the incident and the conduct decision.”
In a nationwide discourse on defunding police, it seems as though police officers are becoming more of an insurance liability. Too many unarmed Black and Brown people are dying at the hands of law enforcement negligence. Something needs to be done about it.
