Still photo from Akron Police VideoPhoto: Video Courtesy Akron Police
(Akron) - Akron Police have released the body cam footage of the interaction between a police officer and a teenager on Monday, April 1, that resulted in the teen being shot and wounded.
Akron Police were called out to a report of people in the Goodyear Heights neighborhood seeing someone waving around a gun. It turned out to be a 15-year-old boy who actually had a fake gun. His injuries were said to be non-life threatening.
Akron Police also released the personnel file of Officer Ryan Westlake. According to a statement from the city, the officer's file includes a number of disciplinary actions and use of force incidents, one of which has been deemed unreasonable.
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said, “In an effort to be as transparent as possible, we are releasing both the body camera footage showing the officer’s entire interaction with the adolescent who was shot, and the officer’s personnel file. We will continue to be transparent and communicative as the process unfolds.”
The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is conducting a thorough, independent investigation. At the conclusion of their investigation, they will turn their findings over to the Ohio Attorney General's Office for review who will then present the information to a Summit County Grand Jury for their evaluation.
Upon the completion of BCI’s investigation, a separate internal investigation will be conducted by the Akron Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards and Accountability. Those results will be shared with the City of Akron Police Chief and Independent Police Auditor for their review.
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