Watch Live: Akron Mayor Talks Police Inspectors and Violent Crime

At the start of Wednesday’s press conference with Akron Mayor Shammas Malik, several important topics came up in Akron:

On Tuesday, the city of Akron and Jayland Walker’s family agreed to end a federal civil rights lawsuit. Details of the agreement were not immediately available; The lawsuit originally sought damages of at least $45 million. On June 27, 2022, Walker was shot dozens of times by Akron police officers and killed after a foot chase and short pursuit. The police fired a total of 94 shots.

A sitting council member and one of Akron’s leading community organizations called for the firing or resignation of Police Chief Brian Harding.

Earlier this month, Harding dismissed calls for discipline related to a police officer’s bodyslam of an Akron woman – Malik said he respected the police chief’s “role and judgment” in the process. Harding’s sentence was the police’s first official response to a use-of-force report by independent police auditor Anthony Finnell, which was dropped after Walker’s shooting death.