AKRON, Ohio — 3News Investigates has confirmed that the city of Akron is settling a federal civil rights lawsuit that was filed by 24 people who were arrested during protests in early July 2022 following the killing of Jayland Walker.
The story was first reported by Signal Akron's Doug Brown.
The suit, filed in June of 2023 against the City of Akron, then-Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and Akron police officers, alleged they "violated the constitutional rights of peaceful demonstrators protesting the 2022 Akron police shooting of young Jayland Walker."
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 24 plaintiffs, including national activists Bianca Austin, aunt of Breonna Taylor; Michael Harris; Jacob Blake Sr., father of Jacob Blake, Jr.; and Cortez Rice.
Brown reports that although the terms are not yet public, U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Grimes Jr. wrote on Jan. 22 in the case record that attorneys for both sides “have agreed to a resolution on this case” and that “the parties will finalize a settlement agreement by February 2; the first payment will be made by February 23.”
Mayor Shammas Malik confirmed to 3News Monday that the city agreed to settle the lawsuit.
"After mediation, the City of Akron Law Department recommended that this case be settled based on the potential cost associated with continuing to litigate it," Malik said in a statement. "This decision was made with the fiscal responsibility of our taxpayers’ hard-earned money in mind, and we take that duty very seriously."
According to Brown, a status hearing is set for Feb. 6.
Civil rights law firm Friedman, Gilbert + Gerhardstein filed the complaint saying that "between July 3 and 7, 2022, Akron police officers subjected peaceful demonstrators and bystanders to baseless mass arrests and unnecessary violence that included beatings and the use of teargas and pepper spray. The city then brought charges against protesters and put them through nearly a year of criminal litigation until all charges were dropped or acquitted."
The charges against protestors stemmed from demonstrations that happened following the release of bodycam footage in July 2022, after eight Akron police officers shot and killed 25-year-old Walker.
In April of 2023, a grand jury in Summit County issued a "no bill" decision, declining to charge the eight officers for Walker's fatal shooting. The decision touched off more demonstrations throughout the city of Akron.
More recently, the Akron Police Department completed its internal investigation into the Walker shooting last November, finding that the officers' use of deadly force "was objectively reasonable" and the officers complied with the department's use of force policy.
The Walker family has also filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Akron, the eight officers involved, Horrigan, and former police chief Steve Mylett, seeking "at least $45 million in damages, $1 million for each bullet that struck Jayland Walker."
3News' Anna Meyer contributed to this story
Previous Reporting:
- Akron Mayor Shammas Malik holds press conference announcing search for next police chief, return to officers wearing nametags
- Akron police release results of Jayland Walker internal investigation; finds use of force 'objectively reasonable' by officers
- Lawsuit filed against City of Akron following July 2022 Jayland Walker protest arrests