Relatives of a Black man killed by Ohio police are settling their lawsuit
A family is settling a wrongful death lawsuit against Ohio police who fired 94 bullets at a Black man during a chase two years ago
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A family is settling a wrongful death lawsuit against Ohio police who fired 94 bullets at a Black man during a chase two years ago.
Jayland Walker's family and the city of Akron reached an agreement but have not disclosed details, according to a joint court filing Tuesday. The family's lawyers said they would hold a news conference "at the appropriate time" to discuss the agreement, and city officials declined to comment while the settlement is pending a judge's approval.
The lawsuit filed in June 2023 sought at least $45 million in damages from the officers involved in the shooting, the city and officials. The family said the officers used excessive force in the shooting and participated in a “culture of violence and racism” within Akron’s police department.
The suit was filed months after a grand jury declined to indict the officers in the death. Their names have not been released.
Walker, 25, was killed during a traffic stop on June 27, 2022, after he fired a single bullet from his vehicle, then ran from the officers, according to a state investigation. He left the gun in his still-moving car.
The killing of another Black man during a traffic stop heightened tensions with police and roiled the city.
The officers believed Walker was armed and a “deadly threat” when they fired the nearly 100 bullets at him in less than 7 seconds because he refused to put up his hands, the state investigation said.