AKRON, Ohio — The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has completed its probe into the shooting death of Jayland Walker at the hands of Akron police, officials confirmed to 3News Wednesday.
A BCI spokesperson says the case will now be handed over to special prosecutors, who are expected to present their findings to a Summit County grand jury sometime in April.
Walker died on June 27, 2022, following a police pursuit that ended with eight officers firing roughly 90 rounds at the 25-year-old. The Summit County Medical Examiner determined there were 46 graze or entrance wounds on Walker's body, and the situation prompted controversy and outcry both in Akron and around the country.
The officers involved, who were placed on leave before being brought back on duty in an "administrative capacity," claimed Walker fired a gun out his car window as he fled. Investigators said they did find a weapon inside Walker's vehicle, but stated he was not armed when he was shot.
BCI quickly took over the inquiry, with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost pledging his team would conduct themselves in a "objective, professional, and independent" manner. This past January, Yost's office had said the investigation had already taken more than 1,100 hours.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday before a community meeting at New Hope Baptist Church, Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett claimed he was unaware of BCI's current progress regarding the Walker case.
At the meeting, Mylett and other police leaders went into more detail about the grand jury process and how use-of-force investigations are conducted.
Mylett told community members that the BCI probe into the Walker shooting has gone quicker than he thought, adding that use-of-force investigations usually take about 14 months before evidence is presented to a grand jury.
The Walker case is headed to the grand jury in less than a year.
"To be upfront and honest with you, I was expecting this to be longer because there were so many officers involved," Mylett told the gathering.
Akron police leaders say they have provided paperwork to help the BCI, but are in no way part of the investigation. They will get the results from the grand jury when the community does.
You can see Lydia Esparra's report from Wednesday's community meeting below: