Akron community members react to 3rd officer-involved shooting since June

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Akron police are defending their actions after Saturday evening’s officer-involved capturing. The newest capturing occurred on Sept. 3 when a teen, allegedly holding a gun, was shot within the hand.

The Ohio Bureau of Prison Investigations (BCI) now could be investigating its third capturing by an Akron police officer because the dying of Jayland Walker.

Walker was shot on June 27 by police in Akron’s Firestone Park.

The second officer-involved capturing surrounded a 21-year-old girl that allegedly shot one other girl in a bar on July 29.

All of that is taking part in out simply days after new bombshell allegations within the Walker case that embody police turning off their physique cameras, to officers allegedly beating non-violent protesters.

The Akron neighborhood remains to be making an attempt to heal as they look ahead to the end result of that investigation and a few, together with one in every of Walker’s family members, are nonetheless questioning why there are such a lot of police shootings within the metropolis.

Franklin Ragsdale, who has stood by the Walker household, is offended after listening to about Saturday evening’s police capturing.

“For me it’s outrage,” Ragsdale mentioned. “It’s unlucky that one other younger child was shot. It’s one other horrible instance of Akron policing.”

Akron officers heard a collection of gunshots whereas on patrol within the space of Manchester and Longview. Officers that instantly went to test it out got here nose to nose with a gaggle of younger males behind a house within the 700 block of Longview Avenue.

Police say a 16-year-old had a gun in his hand, and one in every of their officers fired a shot, putting the teenager in hand. He was handled for non-life threatening accidents and is predicted to face costs.

Lt. Michael Miller with the Akron Police Division informed 19 Information that whereas he understands the neighborhood has considerations anytime there’s a police capturing, he says on this case the problem is weapons within the palms of youngsters.

In response to police not solely was the 16-year-old armed with a gun. A number of different weapons have been recovered close by, and different younger males taken in for questioning.

“We wish the neighborhood to be as secure as potential and the officers didn’t wish to discover themselves in a scenario like this and now a younger man, made a poor option to pickup a firearm. And I’d add that there have been a number of firearms recovered from the scene,” Miller informed 19 Information.

Saturday’s police capturing is the third within the metropolis of Akron since June, together with the deadly capturing of Jayland Walker by police, after a chase the place officers allege Walker fired at them from his automotive. Dozens of photographs have been fired and eight officers are on paid administrative go away, awaiting the end result of the investigation.

Demetrius Travis, Jayland Walker’s cousin, mentioned the police shootings need to cease and he’s decided to clear the title of his cherished one and honor his reminiscence.

“We’re going to maintain having this occur on this system that we’re up below,” Travis mentioned. “We’re up below a racist system let’s simply put it on the market. And till we alter that system, we’re going to proceed to at all times have police killing unarmed, or whether or not they’re armed or not.”

A neighborhood activist, who requested to not be recognized, mentioned the neighborhood wouldn’t relaxation till the outcomes of the state’s investigation are launched and questions are answered. “We wish justice and we’re not going to cease,” she mentioned. “Proceed to construct neighborhood, proceed to coach individuals on going out to vote to vary a few of these insurance policies in terms of policing in our neighborhood.”

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