Akron, Ohio, Mayor Dan Horrigan (D) Sunday lifted the curfew he imposed on his city’s downtown area on the Fourth of July.
The restriction applied between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and affected Akron residents encircled by Route 59, Interstate 76 and Route 8. The mayor gave his initial emergency order two Mondays ago after anti-police protests turned violent and severely damaged Main Street businesses.
Protesters objected to the police shooting of 25-year-old Jayland Walker, who fled an attempted police pullover for traffic violations early in the morning of June 27. Police pursued Walker southward on Route 8. A police body-camera recording of the incident indicates that the suspect discharged his firearm during the car chase.
Walker left Route 8 via the Archwood Avenue ramp, parked his car on Wilbeth Road and fled his vehicle wearing a ski mask. Police chased him on foot and unsuccessfully attempted to tase him.
After Walker stopped and turned around, eight officers shot him more than 60 times altogether. According to the Akron Police Department, police attempted to administer life-supporting aid before determining that the suspect had died.
Horrigan has urged observers of the shooting and related news to be patient as the state’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducts its investigation. He attempted to lift the curfew two days after it went into effect. But demonstrations were again held which resulted in numerous arrests.
Those apprehended included Jacob Blake Sr. and Bianca Austin, respectively the father of Jacob Blake Jr. and the aunt of Breonna Taylor. (The younger Blake was injured and Taylor was killed in different encounters with police.) In response, Horrigan reinstituted the curfew.
His administration said Saturday that if safety concerns dissipated, the curfew would cease.
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Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Ohio Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Dan Horrigan” by AkronEllenLN. CC BY-SA 4.0.
