An Ohio grand jury decided police officers were legally justified in the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old Black man last year, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Monday. Jayland Walker was killed by police after fleeing a traffic stop in June.
Police released body camera footage showing him dying in a hail of gunfire. Police said he had refused to stop when they tried to pull him over for minor equipment and traffic violations. Police say Walker fired a shot from his car 40 seconds into the pursuit.
Officers chased the car on a freeway and city streets until Walker bailed from the still-moving vehicle, ignored officers’ commands and ran into a parking lot where he was killed while wearing a ski mask, bodycam video showed. Authorities said he represented a “deadly threat.” A handgun, a loaded magazine and a wedding ring were found on the driver’s seat of his car.
Police union officials said the officers thought there was an immediate threat of serious harm and that their actions were in line with their training and protocols.
The blurry body camera footage did not clearly show what authorities say was a threatening gesture Walker made before he was shot. Police chased him for about 10 seconds before officers fired from multiple directions, a burst of shots that lasted 6 or 7 seconds.
A county medical examiner said Walker was shot at least 40 times. The autopsy also said no illegal drugs or alcohol were detected in his body.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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