As previously reported by REVOLT, on June 27, 2022, Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, was shot and killed at the hands of Akron, Ohio police during a traffic stop. Originally, officials believed the young man was shot over 60 times. It was later determined he received 46 gunshot wounds, including one to the face. His death sparked worldwide protests and called for city leaders to issue a state of emergency.

Today (June 16), it was announced that Walker’s family filed a lawsuit against the city of Akron and eight of its police officers after a grand jury previously declined to file state charges. According to an article published by ABC News, court documents accuse the cops involved in his killing of using excessive force. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges city officials have fostered a “culture of violence and racism” in the Akron Police Department.

The lawsuit has also included Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan and Chief of Police Stephen Mylett as defendants. During a July 2022 press conference, Horrigan revealed he received threats following his handling of the case: “There [have] been threats against myself, my family, my home.” Mylett admitted some of his officers faced similar consequences. “This has caused a reaction in their personal lives. And it’s impacting everybody in this police department… There have been bounties placed on police officers’ heads,” he claimed in the wake of Walker’s death.

Supporters for Walker’s family previously asked for peaceful gatherings as they worked to seek justice. “We are angry, we’re hurting, and people should be able to demonstrate in a nonviolent way. And that goes for our police department, too, because they should not — they should be acting in a nonviolent way as well. So with it being a two-way street, we want to do this and do it right because we’re not going away until justice is served. But we want to do it with dignity. We want to do it with respect. We are overwhelmed by the support that we are getting. And what we really want is to lay our loved ones to rest,” Pastor Robert DeJournett of St. Ashworth Temple in Akron said ahead of the young man’s funeral.