Jayland Walker’s family calls for DOJ investigation amid claims of collusion in police shooting case

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The mother of Jayland Walker and his family’s attorneys addressed recent remarks from the Fraternal Order of Police regarding the investigation into the officer-involved shooting death of the 25-year-old Akron man.

“I can only hold onto memories right now, I can only hold on to memories,” said Pam Walker, Jayland Walker’s mother.

On what would have been his 26th birthday, the family and their legal team called for the Department of Justice to oversee the probe into the fatal officer-involved shooting, claiming that the police union may have compromised the case over alleged discussions with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

“It smells of a coverup,” said Bobby DiCello, the Walker family attorney.

In response to the accusations, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation released the following statement:

“BCI shall remain steadfast in our commitment to independent investigations regarding officer involved shootings, and this case is no different.

No updates have or will be provided to the FOP president or any other parties by BCI while the investigation is ongoing.

The officers involved in the incident have a constitutional right to legal counsel like everyone else would in this situation.

The family and the community deserves a thorough, independent investigation, and that is what they will get.”

The Fraternal Order of Police did not immediately publicly respond to the attorney’s claims on Wednesday.

Walker was shot and killed by Akron police on June 27 following an attempted traffic stop and chase.

According to police, Walker was unarmed at the time he was fatally shot while running away on foot.

A firearm that Walker allegedly used to shoot at officers during the short car chase was recovered in his vehicle after the shooting, Akron investigators said.

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