A 25-year-old African-American, killed by police in late June after fleeing a traffic violation in a northern US town, was hit by 46 bullets, according to the results of a autopsy published on Friday July 15.
His death, and the publication of a video of the police intervention, had provoked several days of demonstrations in Akron, this city of 190,000 inhabitants in northern Ohio.
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“Several serious injuries”
Key findings from Jayland Walker's autopsy were revealed Friday by the Summit County Forensic Pathology Office, where Akron is located, and reported by the local Akron Beacon Journal.
Jayland Walker's body has 46 gunshot wounds, including abrasions, and 15 bullet wounds, according to Lisa Kohler of the Office of Forensic Medicine, quoted by the newspaper.
Twenty-six bullets were found in his body.
“
We could not determine which bullet killed him
,” the official said.
“
He had several serious injuries.
The toxicological analysis revealed no trace of drugs or alcohol.
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Police say his officers attempted to arrest Jayland Walker on June 27 for a traffic violation, but Walker fired a gun from the window of his vehicle before fleeing on foot.
A handgun and magazine were found in his car, police said.
As he fled, eight police officers opened fire on the 25-year-old man.
They have been suspended pending the investigation.
This incident recalls the death of other black men during interactions with the police, tragedies which sparked a great movement against racism and police violence in the summer of 2020. It is in particular the death of George Floyd, killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020, which sparked the movement that led to protests across the country.
