No police car videotape of the shooting death of Taemarr L. Walker, 24

October 21, 2013 at 6:54p.m.

He died after being shot by a Warren police officer early Saturday.

WARREN

There is no police car videotape of the shooting death of Taemarr L. Walker, 24, who died after being shot by a Warren police officer early Saturday.

Police car 78, which news media outlets have reported was being used by Patrolman Michael Krafcik, is not equipped with video capabilities, Traci Timko Rose, assistant Warren law director, said Monday.

Other police cars responded quickly to the officer, but the 1:50 a.m. shooting had already occurred by the time they arrived, Timko Rose said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, Trumbull County coroner, has ruled Walker’s death a homicide, the result of multiple gunshot wounds. The number of gunshot wounds was not available Monday.

Officially, the patrolman involved is not being identified. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation, and Krafcik is on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.

The Warren Police Department was reviewing the in-car video and audio from the other cruisers Monday to determine what information is on them, Timko Rose said.

Krafcik reponded to a report of an abandoned vehicle that had crashed near the intersection of Risher and Palmyra roads southwest when Walker arrived in a separate vehicle. There was no one from the abandoned vehicle in the area, Timko Rose said.

According to the 911 recording of the police call, Krafcik found the car unoccupied, but soon asked for backup because another car with two people inside had arrived, one with a gun. Krafcik can be heard telling the people in the car, “Put your hands up.”

A short time later, Krafacik asks for an ambulance for Walker. Krafcik was not injured.

Authorities recovered two weapons from Walker’s vehicle, but police would not confirm whether Walker had pointed a weapon at the officer.