AKRON, OH – A disturbing video has recently been released, illustrating the shooting of a 15-year-old boy by an Ohio police officer who was previously dismissed from the force. The officer mistook the teenager’s toy gun for a real weapon during an incident that took place on April 1.
The bodycam footage demonstrates Akron police officer Ryan Westlake shooting Tavion Koonce-Williams, almost instantly after approaching the boy, pursuant to receiving a 911 call that a black man was pointing a gun at residences. “My hand hurts. Mister, I wanted to be safe!” cries Tavion, while his hands are held behind his back after the shooting. He pleads with the officer, insisting the gun was a toy, and that he is a good student and football player, coming from his cousin’s funeral.
Westlake, who has a record of disciplinary issues, had been reinstated in the police force after being fired in 2021 for using derogatory language during a stop-and-search operation. He faced punishments for several other incidents, including pointing his gun at his girlfriend while drunk, and hitting a suspect’s car during a chase, without reporting it promptly.
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with Westlake currently on administrative leave. Imokhai Okolo, an attorney representing Tavion’s family, provided a condemning statement about the Akron Police Department, stating the shooting exemplified a disregard for human life and black youth.
Expressing confidence in Westlake having acted according to policy and procedure, the officer’s union defended the officer in a statement on Tuesday. They referred to the incident as a challenging, split-second decision in self-defense and the defense of others.