More than 100 demonstrators marched through downtown Akron Saturday to protest the - despite a call from Akron officials to pause protests for 48 hours after two residents, including a 4-year-old girl, were killed in a shooting Friday.
The shooting happened at a celebratory gathering near the 700 block of Princeton St. and was unrelated to Walker protests, police said.
Christin Li, who helped organize the Saturday protest, said that gave them even more reason to call for police reform.
鈥淲e鈥檙e out here because APD is not taking care of people鈥檚 lives. That鈥檚 yet another example of them not taking care of peoples鈥� lives, not watching out for us,鈥� Li said.
Li is a member of the Cleveland branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the group that organized Saturday鈥檚 protest.
Also in attendance were family members of victims of other police shootings 鈥� including Samaria Rice, Tamir Rice鈥檚 mother, and Jacob Blake Sr., father of Jacob Blake, who was injured by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year.
Blake Sr. was hospitalized and arrested after a protest in Akron earlier this week. Akron Police seriously injured him during the arrest, he said.
鈥淭hey beat me into a seizure,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I woke up in the hospital, I woke up more determined than ever.鈥�
Blake was charged with rioting and failure to disperse. At the Saturday event, he called for people to continue showing up to demonstrations and calling for justice.
鈥淚f we do not stand up now, then we will not stand up ever,鈥� he said. 鈥淭ake my emotion and what鈥檚 inside of me and take it with you, Akron. I鈥檓 calling on you all to represent for you all.鈥�
Samaria Rice, whose 12-year-old son Tamir was shot and killed by a Cleveland police officer in 2014, said she came to the protest to show support for the Walker family.
鈥淚鈥檓 very heartbroken and torn over what I鈥檝e seen happen to Jayland Walker,鈥� she said.
Rice reached out to the Walker family to offer her support, she said. She encouraged protesters to put pressure on public officials.
Protesters held signs and chanted phrases like 鈥淏lack lives matter鈥� and 鈥淲hose streets? Our streets.鈥� After several speakers called for police reform and defunding the police altogether, the crowd marched east on University Street, stopping several times to lead chants and demand justice for Walker.
At one point, marchers passed a SWAT vehicle. The vehicle appeared on and running, but no law enforcement officers seemed to be there.
Snow plows and other large city vehicles blocked traffic in much of the downtown area. overnight starting at 10 p.m.
Meanwhile, the mayor and police chief released a joint statement responding to at peaceful protests. Chief Steve Mylett said officers have received death threats.
鈥淲e have received death threats with officers鈥� information being posted. We鈥檝e gotten news from the FBI about violent extremists coming to our city and posing as resident demonstrators in order to perpetuate violence,鈥� Mylett said in the written statement. 鈥淭hese are not excuses, but the reality of what our Akron Police officers and our community are currently facing.鈥�
Horrigan added that he and Mylett have had conversations about de-escalating the tension between protesters and police.
鈥淎s we call for peace, we understand that call applies to all of us. I鈥檓 hopeful that we can all come to the table and begin to have the necessary conversations to create forward progress for our city,鈥� Horrigan said in the statement.
Beginning Monday, .
The legal team representing the Walker family has also released a statement reiterating their call for peace 鈥� both from protesters and police.
鈥淲hile we are all appalled at what has transpired and are requesting an apology from the police department and the City of Akron and will be pursuing other transformative goals, violence in the streets will accomplish nothing and will only bring more anguish to our community," officials said in a statement Saturday. "We are asking all residents to engage only in non-violent demonstration."
Akron City Council has called for a day of mourning on Wednesday, July 13 鈥� when Walker鈥檚 funeral is planned, according to a statement released by council.
In addition to the two people killed Friday night, a 26-year-old woman was recently killed in her Summit Lake residence by what police said was celebratory gunfire on July 4.
鈥淥ur city is grieving, and the grief is being further complicated with each loss of life,鈥� Council President Margo Sommerville said in the statement.
No suspects have been identified in either incident.
