The officers involved in the death of Jayland Walker have been cleared of wrongdoing by the department

New documents show that the officers involved in the death of Jayland Walker have been cleared of wrongdoing in an internal investigation into the 2022 police killing in Akron, Ohio – an incident that sparked protests and outrage across the country.

Police Chief Stephen Mylett said the officers’ “use of deadly force was consistent with Akron Police Department policy,” according to a summary of the report. He determined that the officers did not violate department protocols or intentionally violate them during the fatal pursuit, despite a number of concerns raised.

“When Mr. Walker fired from his vehicle at or in the presence of the pursuing officers, the dynamic of a routine traffic stop changed dramatically: from a routine traffic stop to a serious public safety and officer safety concern.” Mylett said.

A special grand jury decided not to bring criminal charges against the eight officers involved in the June 2023 case.

Walker’s family, which is suing the city and department over his death, criticized the findings.

“Everyone should be encouraged to read what the police chief wrote. He found that Jayland’s shooting “was consistent with Akron Police Department policy,” family attorney Bobby DiCello said. “That says it all. While not unexpected, it is this position that makes it extremely important for us to continue this lawsuit on behalf of Jayland Walker’s family. In fact, it is because of this position that we look forward to taking this matter forward through our justice system.”

Walker was killed after officers tried to stop him for a traffic violation and violating his car’s equipment. According to officials, Walker refused to stop, prompting a car chase during which Walker allegedly fired a shot from his vehicle.

After later exiting the vehicle and fleeing on foot, Walker was fatally shot by eight officers. The autopsy report shows that Walker had 46 gunshot wounds on his body. Officials say officers fired a total of 94 shots at Walker, who was unarmed during the shooting. After the shooting, a gun was found in his car.

Mylett found that the department’s force policy was consistent with standards established by the Supreme Court and that “the officers had an objectively reasonable belief that Mr. Walker was armed and that his conduct created an imminent risk of bodily injury or death to them and/or their co-workers.” ” – we read in the report.

In his report, Mylett noted several potential violations of the policies outlined in the investigation. He explained that he believed the potential violations occurred unintentionally or that the officers’ actions were consistent with department procedure.

According to Mylett, one of the concerns was that it was discovered that an officer had added an extension to his department’s magazine, increasing its capacity to six additional rounds. He said the officer also inadvertently had two rounds of “training” ammunition in his magazine. However, the officer told investigators that he did not knowingly violate department policies regarding such issues. The agency responded by acknowledging that it lacked clear language on this issue and made changes accordingly.

“When questioned about this matter, the officer stated that he had been told by other police officers that it was acceptable to add a magazine extension to his department-issued firearm. He fired rounds that did not contain training ammunition,” Mylett said. .

Another concern was raised by two patrol cruisers that pursued Walker without a supervisor’s permission, as well as the fact that two officers on one of those cruisers did not turn on their body cameras in accordance with APD policy, Mylett wrote.

“Taking into account the totality of the circumstances surrounding the pursuit, including the presence of a key officer and public safety issues and the dynamics of the situation, and based on the testimony of the officers involved, I find that neither officer intentionally violated agency policy when they engaged in the pursuit of the vehicle, “no officers intentionally turned on their body-worn cameras,” Mylett said.

Another issue involved an officer using the patrol vehicle’s bumpers to close the driver’s door of Walker’s vehicle during a car chase. The investigation revealed that Walker attempted to exit the vehicle at this time.

“Based on the totality of the circumstances and the information known to the officer at the time he made the decision to use his patrol car in this manner, I believe his actions are reasonable given the situation,” Mylett said.

The department also investigated the use of stun guns. Two officers used Tasers on Walker to stop him during a foot pursuit, but the attempt was unsuccessful. According to Mylett, the drug’s use was found to be within the department’s policies and procedures.

“While it is certainly tragic, after reviewing the BCI investigation and Lt. Lieke’s investigation, as well as the City’s policy similar to that of the Special Grand Jury, I find that the use of deadly force was objectively justified and the officers complied with the policy regarding use of force, Mylett said.

Since his death, Walker’s family has continued to call for justice and sharply criticize what they believe is a lack of accountability for the officers who shot him.

“A year has passed since Jayland Walker was brutally torn from his family, and they have still failed to obtain justice and accountability,” DiCello said in a June statement.

He continued: “The City of Akron and its Police Department have been given every opportunity to participate in a fair process to right what went wrong on June 27 of last year. They protect their officers from liability at every turn. Now we must engage the judicial authorities of the trial to accomplish what the city has been unwilling to do – hold these officers accountable for their actions. We will use the court system to provide Jayland Walker and his family the justice they deserve.”

The Akron Police Department declined to comment on pending litigation. The city of Akron and the mayor’s office declined ABC News’ request for comment on the filing of the lawsuit.