Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost promised the community of Akron an objective, professional and independent investigation of the June 27 officer-involved critical incident that resulted in the death of 25-year-old Jayland Walker.
In a video message, Yost encouraged residents to have patience with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) team, whose expertise was requested by the Akron Police Department.
“We all want the truth,” Yost said. ‘When BCI is called upon to investigate an officer’s use of force, our role is to provide an expert, impartial, third-party review – independent of the police and other outside voices.”
The degree of work involved in any officer-involved shooting investigation is extensive, Yost noted, underscoring why the public should avoid drawing conclusions based on partial facts.
Once completed, BCI’s investigation will be presented to a grand jury of Summit County residents, who will review the investigation to determine if criminal charges are appropriate for any of the officers.
The full video of Yost’s remarks is available here:
AG Yost reiterated his commitment to post-investigation transparency in all officer-involved critical incidents.
“When the investigation is complete, and the case is adjudicated, we will be fully transparent,” Yost said. “This case file will be available to the public on the web as soon as we are legally allowed to share it.”
The attorney general’s
website hosts investigative documents related to fatal shootings investigated by BCI or handled by the office’s Special Prosecutions Section.
For more information about how BCI investigates officer-involved shootings, a free copy of
Best Practices for Investigating an Officer Involved-Critical Incident — published by the Attorney General’s Office — is
available for download . The manual explains what the community and law enforcement can expect during a BCI investigation.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Steve Irwin: 614-728-5418
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