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When an unarmed man was shot to death by police in Ohio in connection with a traffic control, it again led to major protests about police violence against blacks in the United States. Now the autopsy shows that he had 46 bullet holes in his body.
The high-profile incident occurred on June 27 in the city of Akron, Ohio. 25-year-old Jayland Walker had refused to stop for police after a traffic violation, and a car chase began.
During the hunt, the sound of a shot was heard from Jayland Walker’s car. Pictures from the police’s body cameras show how he then jumps out of the car and escapes on foot. Eight police officers chased him and shortly afterwards fired a large number of shots at Jayland Walker. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have confirmed that the 25-year-old was unarmed when the police shot him. An unloaded pistol and a magazine, however, were found on the seat of his car.
26 bullets in the body
On Friday, a preliminary autopsy report was presented showing that Jayland Walker had 46 gunshot wounds. A total of 26 bullets must have remained in the body.
The results of the autopsy confirm that an unarmed Walker, without drugs or alcohol in his body, “suffered a brutal and meaningless death,” said Ken Abbarno, one of the lawyers representing Walker’s family.
Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett has stated that the shot fired in Walker’s car is said to have caused the incident to go from “a routine traffic check to a general safety issue”.
The local police union has also said that the police believed that there was an immediate threat of serious injury, and that the number of shots will therefore be considered justified.
Big protests
The eight police officers who opened fire on Walker have been fired, with pay, pending investigation.
After the incident, the civil rights movement NAACP led a demonstration in Akron where hundreds of people gathered to protest against police violence.
“This was not self-defense, it was not an accident in the heat of the moment. It was murder, in short, “said President Derrick Johnson in a statement.