Beatty Issues Statement on the Shooting of Jayland Walker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) and the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:  

“On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, I extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jayland Walker. From every account, he was a family man loved by many. He should still be alive today. The body camera footage is gut-wrenching and leaves us with far more questions than answers. The conduct of the officers and all involved must be investigated without delay. The Akron Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office must conduct a thorough and transparent investigation and provide regular updates to the community. Jayland’s family, the Akron community, and all of us deserve to know what happened and what the department will change to ensure routine traffic stops do not lead to more unnecessary deaths. Far too many Black people in America are killed at the hands of police during alleged traffic violations, and we cannot remain silent. This is not an acceptable outcome, and we can no longer afford to be merely outraged and heartbroken. While we have seen action on police reform in recent months, it is clear there is more work to do,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty.

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