AKRON, Ohio — The City of Akron implemented a curfew for downtown starting Monday night following a day of protests over the shooting and killing of Jayland Walker.

What You Need To Know

  • Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, was fatally wounded by police on June 27 in south Akron

  • While protests remained peaceful Sunday morning, they turned violent that night, leaving many businesses and other property damaged

  • Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said the city won't tolerate violence, and a curfew will remain in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until the mayor issues another order to lift it
  • The Akron Rubberducks postponed its game against the Altoona Curve Monday night because of the curfew

The curfew will be in place for downtown Akron between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the curfew will remain in effect until Mayor Dan Horrigan issues another order to lift it. 

Horrigan wrote in a statement Monday the curfew comes after violent protests took place Sunday night. 

"As I stated yesterday, I fully support our residents’ right to peacefully assemble," Horrigan wrote. "What we have been calling for since the beginning, and what the Walker family and many community leaders and faith leaders have also urged, is peace. However, as night fell and others began to join, the protests became no longer peaceful. There was significant property damage done to downtown Akron. Small businesses up and down Main St. have had their windows broken."

Horrigan said the protests earlier Sunday had been peaceful, and he thanked those demonstrators. But he said the city won't tolerate violence and destruction of property.

There are few exceptions to the curfew, including:

  1. All law enforcement, fire and medical personnel and members of the news media, as well as other personnel authorized by the City of Akron, and the State of Ohio, or individuals otherwise exempt under the law
  2. Persons traveling directly between their place of work and their residence
  3. Persons traveling to seek medical care
  4. Persons fleeing from dangerous circumstances

Because of the order, downtown is delineated as follows:

  • SR 59 (Perkins Street/MLK Jr. Boulevard)
  • West: SR 59 (MLK Jr. Boulevard)
  • South: I-76/I-77
  • East: SR 8

The city also canceled its fireworks Monday night because of the curfew, which were initially scheduled for downtown, the Akron Fulton airport and the Patterson Park Sports Complex Monday night.

The Akron Rubberducks also postponed its game against the Altoona Curve Monday night because of the curfew.

Walker, a 25-year-old Black man with no prior offenses, was fatally wounded by police on June 27 in south Akron. The shooting took place after Walker led police on a four-minute car chase that was exacerbated when Walker fired a gun at the officers in pursuit, police said.

Officials said the chase ended when Walker, unarmed, got out of his still-moving vehicle in the Bridgestone Americas parking lot and was shot roughly 60 times by the eight officers involved.

The city has placed all eight officers on paid administrative leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation looks into the shooting.

Digital Reporter Jennifer Conn contributed to this story.

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