AKRON, Ohio — Tavion Koonce-Williams, the 15-year-old who was shot by an Akron police officer earlier this month, has been charged for carrying a fake gun at the time of his shooting.
According to Akron Police Department Capt. Michael Miller, Koonce-Williams faces a charge of "facsimile firearm," which is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
The announcement by Miller comes as the investigation into the shooting of Koonce-Williams by Officer Ryan Westlake continues.
The incident on April 1 in the Goodyear Heights neighborhood began with a woman calling authorities and claiming a teen was pointing a gun at homes near the intersection of Tonawanda Avenue and Newton Street. The teen, later identified as Koonce-Williams, was spotted by Officer Westlake near the intersection of Brittain Road and Ottawa Avenue.
Body camera video released a week after the shooting revealed that Westlake asked Koonce-Williams to see his hands as the officer was exiting his car. Then you hear a gunshot as the teen is struck in the hand.
Video shows the teen repeatedly shouts, “It’s fake! It’s fake!” Once on the ground with police around him, you can hear him saying, "It's a fake gun, I promise." He was taken to the hospital with a non-life threatening injury.
You can see the body camera footage in the player below.
Following the shooting, Akron police announced that the gun the teen had allegedly been carrying was a "facsimile." The fake gun was photographed and turned over to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the agency that is handling the investigation into the shooting.
Once BCI completes their investigation, the case will be turned over to the Ohio Attorney General’s office for review before being submitted to the Summit County Grand Jury for evaluation. Per departmental procedure, Officer Westlake has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Imokhai Okolo, the attorney representing the family of Tavion Koonce-Williams, released the following statement to 3News on Friday reacting to the misdemeanor charge against Tavion:
"The actions taken by the City of Akron and the Akron Police Department are Unconscionable. It is not a crime to have a toy gun. It is not a crime to be a 15 year old playing with toys. It is not a crime to be a Black kid in Akron Ohio doing what kids do. Too often we see this city using their law department to weaponize criminal charges against Black youth in an attempt to avoid civil liability and shield themselves from political backlash. It’s disgusting, unethical, and wrong. Our community deserves better."
At a press conference on April 12, Okolo announced a series of demands, including the family's request to have Westlake "immediately terminated" from the Akron Police Department.
You can watch the press conference below.
“Tavion, his family, the Okolo Law Firm and everyone standing behind us are coming for justice, are coming for accountability and we will not rest until it comes," Okolo stated.
Previous Reporting:
- Akron police shooting: Family of teen shot by officer speaks out at press conference
- Akron police release body camera footage of officer shooting teen suspect; also release officer's personnel file
- Akron Mayor Shammas Malik issues statement after 15-year-old shot by officer; police say teen was armed with 'facsimile firearm'