Pray for Akron.

Many Akron businesses were damaged Wednesday night after protests turned destructive in the middle of the night. The protests were in objection to the decision to not criminally charge any of the eight Akron police officers involved in the shooting death of Jayland Walker.

FOX 8 reports that the “confrontational, destructive” portion of the protesting began around 11 p.m. when the windows of several restaurants were damaged. This reportedly began after police broke up a group for throwing bottles at the officers. Some of the businesses are Wally Waffle, Irie Jamaican Kitchen and Chipotle in

The initial gatherings began around 6 p.m.

From FOX 8:

The demonstration continued to grow until around 8 p.m., when tensions began to rise and police moved in. This was in the area of Copley Road and East Avenue.

The city says officers reported having bottles thrown at them and began ordering protesters to leave the streets.

About half an hour later, police declared it an unlawful assembly and deployed what appeared to be some type of chemical spray from both handheld canisters and grenades rolling along the road, breaking up the protest.

To read the entire FOX 8 report, [click here].

Protesters have gathered for days in Akron since the Jayland Walker decision was made public. A handful of arrests have been made.

Last June, Akron police officers shot and killed 25-year-old Jayland Walker after being pursued by police who claimed he fired a gunshot. Walker was then shot at least 46 times. He has no criminal record.

After a 10-month-long investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, it was determined that Jayland Walker was severely depressed before his death and was still grieving his fiancee, who was killed in a car crash just a month before his death.

Investigators tried to claim Walker’s death was a suicide by cop, but his best friend Dupri Whatley, pushed back on those allegations, claiming he never told police that Walker asked him about how to get “police to shoot him.”

“No, he never, I never said that,” Whatley said. “I said that Jayland knew, knew better. But I never said them words. I just said I don’t, I don’t know what was going on,” Whatley said, the report said.

Akron city officials have set up a “demonstration zone,” which was reported to be open 24 hours a day, throughout the weekend.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

 

SEE ALSO:

Investigation Shows Jayland Walker Was Grieving Over Fiancee Prior To His Death

Amid Jayland Walker Grand Jury For Police Shooting, Akron Residents ‘Pray For Peace’