Police released video footage after a black man was found with around 60 gunshot wounds after fleeing a traffic stop last week.
Eight police officers in Akron, Ohio were involved in the shooting of Jayland Walker, 25, last week after a car and foot chase.
Police say they believe Walker was armed at the time he was shot, but the family’s lawyer said his team did not see any evidence that Walker fired a weapon and that the camera footage of the body police showed him running with his back to officers when they shot and killed him.
The officers played multiple videos at a press conference, one of which, according to them, shows a shot fired from the car driven by Walker being chased by police.
Walker jumped out of the car and ran away from authorities, the video showed.
Police say it appears he was addressing officers, who at the time believed he had a weapon.
A gun was later recovered from his car.
Walker family attorney Bobby DiCello warned the video was “brutal,” in comments posted Saturday in the Akron Beacon Journal.
“He’s only in a sprint to the bottom when he’s dropped – I think the count is over 90 shots,” DiCello said.
“Now how many of these land, according to our investigation at this time, we are getting details that suggest 60 to 80 injuries.”
The incident resulted in eight Akron City police officers being placed on paid administrative leave following the fatal encounter.
Police killed Jayland Walker by shooting him dozens of times
Speaking at a press conference moments before camera footage of the fatal accident was shown, Mayor Daniel Horrigan said, “I know this is a grim occasion for all of us and for the whole city. The city is in. mourning with you.
“The video you are about to watch is heartbreaking and very difficult to watch and I have a number of questions too.”
An attorney from Walker’s family said his relatives feared protests in response to the killing could turn violent.
In its initial statement last week, the Akron Police Department said its officers “attempted to stop a vehicle for traffic violation” at around 12:30 am Monday.
Law enforcement officials said the driver refused to stop and officers hunted down, with police reporting that “a firearm was unloaded from the suspect vehicle”.
Police said Walker jumped out of his moving car and officers continued the pursuit on foot.
“The suspect’s actions caused the agents to perceive he posed a deadly threat to them,” the force said.
“In response to this threat, the agents unloaded their firearms, hitting the suspect.”
He was pronounced dead on the spot.
The shooting was the latest in a series of murders of black men by law enforcement agencies in the United States, including the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis that ignited global protests.
