The City of Akron has recently released body camera footage that captures the shooting incident involving teenager Tavion Koonce-Williams on April 1. In the footage, it can be seen that Tavion was shot in the hand after a 911 caller reported him to the police for allegedly holding a toy gun.
The video captured the moment when a teenager, later identified as 15-year-old Koonce-Williams by the family attorney, was shot in the hand by an Akron Police Department (APD) officer. The incident occurred after a 911 caller, who was walking her dog in the vicinity, alerted the police that Koonce-Williams was pointing a gun at people’s homes.
In the video, the officer arrives at the scene and instructs the teenager to place his hands behind his back. However, instead of complying, the officer fires a single shot that wounds the teen’s hand as he gets out of his vehicle. Throughout the incident, the teenager raises his hands in the air, repeatedly shouting, “it’s fake, it’s fake, it’s fake,” in reference to the gun, while the officer steps out of his own vehicle.
The family of the East High School student, represented by Attorney Imokhai Okolo, expressed their deep sadness and desire for justice in a statement released on Monday.
According to Okolo, Tavion is currently dealing with the emotional aftermath of being racially profiled and experiencing a terrifying moment where his life flashed before his eyes due to being shot. Okolo emphasizes that Tavion’s injury, located on the inside of his wrist, serves as evidence that his hands were raised at the time of the shooting.
On Monday, the city of Akron revealed the identity of the officer involved in the incident as Ryan Westlake. With nine years of experience in the department, Westlake has been placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing.
Westlake’s personnel file was made public by the city, revealing that he had been fired from APD in July 2021 for multiple policy violations. However, he was later rehired after reaching an agreement with the police union.
According to the city’s statement released on Monday, the officer’s file contains several disciplinary actions and use of force incidents, one of which has been declared unreasonable. Furthermore, the city expects to release additional information in the upcoming weeks.
According to the Akron Fraternal Order of Police (AFOP), the union representing Westlake, this is a challenging situation for all parties involved. Every time an officer is confronted with the difficult decision to protect themselves and others from an armed suspect, there is a sense of concern.
The statement added that they have confidence in the justification of their officer’s actions once all the facts are made public.
ABC News contacted the AFOP for additional comment.
According to an Akron Police Department spokesman, the incident is currently being investigated by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). As a result, no additional information will be released at this time.
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik emphasized the city’s commitment to transparency by publicly releasing the body camera footage and the officer’s personnel file, according to a statement made on Monday.
He emphasized the importance of transparency and communication throughout the unfolding process.
The video provides a visual representation of the information.
According to the police, the shooting occurred at approximately 7:04 p.m. on April 1st. The police also released a 911 call on Monday, which reported a male allegedly pointing a gun at nearby houses in the Newton Street and Tonawanda Avenue area.
“I’m currently walking my dog when I noticed a concerning situation. There’s a man walking down the street and he seems to be targeting people’s houses with a gun. He actually pulled out the gun and appeared as though he was about to shoot at their houses,” explained the caller during the 911 call recording.
The caller was asked about the description of the male, to which they replied, “He is a Black male with shorter dreads. He is wearing a black hoodie with some writing, possibly Adidas, on the back. The gun he had was slightly larger than a pistol.”
According to the police, an officer encountered the individual who matched the described colors while walking on Britton Road, near the intersection of Ottawa Avenue, at around 7:11 p.m. local time.
According to a statement released by the police, the officer stopped his marked police car and proceeded to investigate. Upon exiting his patrol car, he immediately commanded the male to show his hands. Shortly after, the officer fired his weapon, shooting the male in the hand. This action was taken after the officer observed the individual holding what seemed to be a gun.
The video captures the teenager in evident distress during the entire incident as officers restrain him on the ground and apply handcuffs. He informs the police that he was returning home from his cousin’s funeral and mentions that his grandmother resides nearby.
Tears stream down his face as he exclaims, “I can’t feel my hand.”
“I’m a well-behaved student, consistently earning A’s in school, and I actively participate in football,” he assures the officers while they administer first aid.
Koonce-Williams was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment after sustaining a non life-threatening injury, according to the police.
According to Okolo, Tavion is now part of a long line of Black youth who have been unfairly targeted and shot by the Akron Police Department. Okolo emphasizes that these incidents show a complete disregard for human life and lack any justification.
According to Okolo, the city is currently contemplating pressing charges against the teenager in connection with the incident. When questioned about the possibility of filing charges against the teen, a representative from the city of Akron did not provide an immediate response to ABC News’ inquiry.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) will conduct an investigation into this case, as confirmed by APD. Once the investigation is concluded, the findings will be handed over to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for review.
ABC News was informed by a BCI spokesperson on Monday that they are actively and continuously investigating the matter.
According to the spokesperson, the county prosecutor will review the findings, and the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office has requested that the case be presented to a grand jury for evaluation.
