AKRON, Ohio — Just days after the Akron Police Department released body camera footage that shows an officer shooting 15-year-old Tavion Koonce-Williams during an incident back on April 1, the teen’s family gathered to speak out during a press conference Friday morning.
Tavion was in attendance at the press conference, but did not offer any comments.
At the start of the press conference, the family's attorney announced a series of demands, including their request to have the officer involved -- Ryan Westlake -- "immediately terminated" from the Akron Police Department.
“Tavion, his family, the Okolo Law Firm and everyone standing behind us are coming for justice, are coming for accountability and we will not rest until it comes," the attorney said.
Tavion was in attendance at the press conference, but did not make any statements.
We streamed the entire press conference live, which you can watch in the video below:
FAMILY MEMBERS SPEAK OUT
Below you'll find some of the statements made during the press conference:
Tavion's mother
“This experience has been very, very traumatizing for me, my son, my family and also my other children. What has happened has not been the first time that this has happened -- and it won’t be the last. Akron Police Department needs to be held accountable for the excessive force that you use on our Black babies. It is not OK."
Tavion's father
"While I’m grateful to God he was only shot once in his wrist, I can only help but wonder what could have happened and I am grateful to God that my son is still alive. But I am deeply hurt by the trauma that this has caused that will forever affect his life. He has lost sleep behind this incident. He has been afraid and anxious staying up late at night, and waking up multiple times throughout the night. He has a scar that will now be a consistent reminder of the trauma he has faced that day. It is my hope that justice will be served for my son."
CITY OF AKRON RESPONDS
"We have been open and transparent throughout this process releasing not only the body camera footage which shows the entire interaction between the officer and the teenager at the scene but also the personnel file of the officer involved. As we've previously stated, we do anticipate having additional information to release in the weeks ahead. We have an obligation to allow the BCI investigation to proceed and there is no further comment we can provide at this time."
DETAILS OF THE AKRON POLICE SHOOTING
The situation began after police say somebody called to report seeing a male pointing a gun at houses in the area of Tonawanda and Newton. A responding officer then spotted the teen near the intersection of Brittain Road and Ottawa Avenue.
When getting out of his vehicle at the scene, body camera footage shows the officer asking the teen this question: “Can I see your hands real quick?”
Then you hear a gunshot. Police said the teen was struck in the hand.
Video shows the teen repeatedly shouts, “It’s fake! It’s fake!” Once on the ground with police around him, you can hear him saying, "It's a fake gun, I promise." He was taken to the hospital with a non-life threatening injury.
After the shooting, Akron police said officers recovered a fake gun the teen allegedly had in his possession at the time of the incident.
“The facsimile firearm was photographed, secured, and later turned over to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, which will conduct an independent investigation," according to the Akron Police Department.
You can watch the full body camera video in the player below:
INVESTIGATION AND REACTION
Once BCI completes their investigation, the case will be turned over to the Ohio Attorney General’s office for review before being submitted to the Summit County Grand Jury for evaluation.
The city identified Westlake as the officer involved in the shooting, saying he's a nine-year veteran with the Akron Police Department. Per departmental procedure, officer Westlake has been placed on paid administrative leave.
On Monday, the city released details from the officer's record.
“The officer’s file includes a number of disciplinary actions and use of force incidents, one of which has been deemed unreasonable,” according to a press release. “Additionally, the city anticipates having further information to release in the coming weeks.”
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said the city released both the body camera footage and the officer’s personnel file “in an effort to be as transparent as possible.”
The day following the shooting, Mayor Malik said in a statement that these types of incidents “are some of the most challenge for our community to grapple with,” while asking everybody to reserve judgment until more information is shared.
“Yesterday's officer-involved shooting of a 15-year-old Akron resident is a tragic situation, and I’m grateful the young man was not more seriously injured and that the officer was not injured,” Mayor Malik said the day after the incident.
Tavion’s family also released a statement through the Okolo Law Firm, LLC. You can read that full statement in the document below:
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