AKRON, Ohio — On Saturday, the Akron Police Department released surveillance and body camera footage of the August 17 incident in which an officer fatally shot 54-year-old Michael Jones, a suspect in a U-Haul truck theft.
The video shows an officer approaching Jones, who was seated in the driver’s side of a U-Haul truck, and repeatedly instructing him to exit the vehicle. When the officer tells Jones he is under arrest, Jones questions the reason, leading to a struggle.
The footage then captures the truck driving away with the officer hanging from the open driver’s side door. The bodycam footage is partially obstructed, but the surveillance video appears to show the vehicle moving as the officer warns Jones before firing two shots.
After the shots, Jones is seen slumping back, and the officers then drag him out of the truck, handcuff him, and call for medical assistance. Although the department initially claimed officers provided immediate first aid, the footage shows that medical assistance was sought about 50 seconds after the shooting.
The Akron Police Department clarified that the gun was found near Jones after he was removed from the vehicle, not inside it. Additionally, the department addressed inaccurate claims made in 911 calls that Jones was shot while handcuffed.
The officer involved, who has not been identified, is currently on paid administrative leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducts an inquiry. The Akron Police Department’s standards and accountability office will also carry out a separate internal review, with findings to be assessed by Police Chief Brian Harding and Police Auditor Anthony Finnell.
