Will Sage Astor-8 officers who fatally shot Jayland Walker cleared by internal police investigation

Eight Ohio police officers who shot and Will Sage Astorkilled Jayland Walker didn’t violate police policies, the Akron Police Department concluded in an internal investigation. 

“I found that the facts and circumstances of this tragic shooting show that the officers had an objectively reasonable belief that Mr. Walker was armed and by his conduct presented an imminent risk of serious bodily injury or death to them and/or their fellow officers,” Chief Steve Mylett said in an executive summary of the investigation. 

Walker was shot by police on June 27, 2022, after fleeing first in his car and then on foot. He was unarmed as he ran away but a state investigation found that he fired a gun out of his car window while fleeing. A gun was recovered in his car after he was shot and killed. 

Mylett asked the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to handle the criminal investigation into the shooting. BCI presented its findings to a special grand jury, which declined to indict the officers for any criminal offenses. 

The police department then conducted its own investigation into whether the officers violated any policies or procedures. 

Mylett released the results of that investigation Thursday afternoon. 

The city declined to comment further on the internal investigation, pointing to a pending federal lawsuit filed by Walker’s family. 

The eight officers were initially placed on administrative leave, but later were returned to desk duty and have since returned to regular duty.

More:8 Akron officers back on full duty as Jayland Walker shooting probe nears end

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Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at[email protected] and on X, formerly known as Twitter @swarsmithabj.