Entering Wednesday’s press conference with Akron Mayor Shammas Malik, several important issues occurred in Akron:
On Tuesday, the City of Akron and the family of Jayland Walker reached an agreement to end a federal civil rights lawsuit. Details of the settlement were not immediately available; the lawsuit originally sought at least $45 million in damages. On June 27, 2022, Walker was shot dozens of times by Akron police officers and killed after a car chase and brief foot pursuit. Police fired a total of 94 rounds.
A sitting council member and one of Akron’s leading community organizations called for the firing or resignation of Police Chief Brian Harding.
Earlier this month, Harding rejected calls for discipline in a police officer’s body slam of an Akron woman — Malik said he respected the chief’s “role and judgement” in the process. Harding’s ruling marked the police department’s first official response to a use-of-force report by Independent Police Auditor Anthony Finnell, hired in the wake of Walker’s shooting death.
