US Police Killed Black Man; Violence Feared
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
AKRON (Worthy News) – The United States was bracing for protests and violence as the video was to emerge of police killing Jayland Walker, a Black man in the U.S. state of Ohio, by shooting him dozens of times as he ran from officers.
In comments published on Saturday by the Akron Beacon Journal publication attorney Bobby DiCello described the video of the shooting in the city of Akron as “brutal.”
He said Walker’s relatives worried protests this weekend could turn violent. Violent incidents have often overshadowed Black Lives Matter protests, but they also prompted prayer rallies for the nation.
Monday’s shooting was the latest in reported killings of Black men by police in the U.S. that critics say are unjustified, including the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The Floyd shooting ignited global protests against police brutality. But conservative critics but say genuine demonstrations have also been hijacked by stop-funding-the-police calls of leftist groups, including within the Democratic Party.
Akron police said about Monday’s shooting that Walker, 25, fired a gun at officers pursuing him. They planned to release their body camera footage following a news conference on Sunday, hours before another protest march was scheduled.
Officials have said the incident began when officers tried to stop Walker for a traffic violation while driving early Monday morning. Walker fled, according to the Akron Police Department, adding that officers reported a gun being fired from the suspect’s vehicle.
The announcement came as a march was planned from the local Second Baptist Church heading to the Justice Center. Black Lives Matter Cleveland said there would also be a protest at 6 p.m. outside the Justice Center.
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