AKRON (WJW) — The Ohio Attorney General’s office released video statements of the eight officers who were involved in the shooting death of Jayland Walker on Thursday.
The video interviews the officers gave to investigators were released a few days after a special grand jury declined to indict the officers for the fatal shooting. Officials with the attorney general’s office said the faces of the officers were blurred and their names were not released because they were not charged.
“I was kind of in shock,” one officer said. “I couldn’t believe it happened.”
The videos let us hear officers describe the vehicle chase and the shot fired from Walker’s car which led to the deadly encounter.
“I could see him put his hands into his waistband area,” another officer said. “Again, like I said, that’s where people keep firearms and weapons.”
Prosecutors say Walker fired one round at officers during the initial pursuit. He then got out of his car and ran.
“At that time, I was fearful for my life and I was fearful for every officer on scene,” one officer told detectives.
He and the other officers all said they thought Walker was armed when he took off on foot.
Prosecutors say Walker was not armed when officers shot him. A gun, a loaded magazine and a wedding ring were found on the driver’s seat of his car after the shooting.
“He slows down, turns around puts his hand on his waistband quickly in a motion as you would if you are drawing a firearm,” an officer said during his interview with investigators. “He points at officers and I then raise my firearm and begin to shoot.”
That officer said he fired 18 rounds.
Walker was shot by the eight officers 46 times. Investigators asked several of the officers why they fired so many shots.
One officer said he fired so many because he didn’t know where the gun was and Walker was still moving when he was on the ground. Another officer said he thought Walker was shooting at him.
“I heard gunshots going off but I did not hear people left and right of me shooting,” the officer said. “I thought the gunshots I was hearing were coming from him.”
