Warren law director: Officer's car not equipped with video

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 assist the driver of car 78, but the 1:50 a.m. shooting had already occurred by the time they arrived, Timko Rose said.

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 is reviewing the in-car video and audio from the other cruisers this morning to determine what information is on them, Timko Rose said.

Krafcik reponded to a report of an abandoned vehicle that had been crashed near the intersection of Risher and Palmyra roads southwest when Walker arrived in a separate vehicle.

There was no one in the area from the abandoned, crashed vehicle, Timko Rose said.

According to the 911 tape of the police call, Krafcik found the car unoccupied and then gave a dispatcher the license plate number for a records check and a tow.

Shortly after, Krafcik asked for backup because another car with two people inside had arrived on the scene, one with a gun.

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