Family of Black Man Killed by Ohio Police Agree to Settlement

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AKRON, Ohio (AP) — 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.