AKRON, Ohio — Demonstrations protesting the shooting of Jayland Walker, 25, continued in downtown Akron, with more arrests made early Thursday morning.
Among those arrested and charged with rioting and disorderly conduct are Bianca Austin and Jacob Blake Sr.
Austin is the aunt of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman fatally shot by Louisville, Kentucky police in 2020, during a botched, forced-entry raid on her apartment. Arrest records show Austin has a Louisville address.
Blake is the father of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was seriously injured by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020. Blake’s arrest records show a Winston-Salem, N.C. address.
Demonstrators have protested the fatal shooting of Walker late last month. Walker, a Black man, was killed by Akron police after he led officers on a car and foot chase that ended with Walker shot to death in an Akron parking lot, struck by bullets multiple times.
Tensions have run high since Sunday when the city and Akron Police Department released body-cam footage from all 13 officers on the scene.
On Wednesday, the city dropped the curfew that was issued Monday, July 4 along with cancellation of city fireworks. The curfew was put in place after protesters damaged many downtown businesses late Sunday night and early Monday morning.
Mayor Dan Horrigan had announced Tuesday, the curfew, which ran 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., would be lifted the following morning because demonstrations had remained peaceful throughout Monday.
The latest arrests were made Wednesday after 9 p.m., when the curfew would have kept people out of downtown.
The Akron Municipal Courthouse announced Thursday it would be closed for the rest of the week "due to limited building access," although the roadways surrounding the area are open to traffic. It is unclear whether the courthouse, which is adjacent to the police station, was closed in response to the ongoing protests.
Walker’s family, his mother, Pamela Walker, and sister, Jada Walker, asked the community to remain peaceful as the investigation continues.