Akron mass shooting leaves residents, police reeling
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The city of Akron is reeling from a devastating mass shooting last weekend that killed one person and injured 24. But despite the presence of dozens of witnesses, police have yet to identify a suspect.
Why it matters: Some community leaders attribute residents' silence to a distrust in local law enforcement that stems from officer-involved shootings of Black males, including one that killed Jayland Walker two years ago.
What they're saying: "Yeah, that's going to impact the trust of this community with law enforcement," Akron NAACP president Judi Hill told WKYC in speaking about the past incidents.
- Johnnie Hannah, councilman for Akron's Ward 5, told Ideastream that residents feel "numb" and may be staying silent out of fear.
- "I know for a fact that people don't feel safe in my ward," Hannah said, "especially on the east side."
What we know: The shooting occurred at a birthday party, where police say more than 100 people were present, just after midnight Sunday near Kelly and 8th avenues in East Akron.
- Akron Police Chief Brian Harding said it appeared that a drive-by prompted some partygoers to fire shots back.
- Two handguns and more than 35 shell casings from multiple weapons — including an assault-style weapon — were recovered at the scene, according to police.
- The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office identified 27-year-old Akron resident Lateris Cook, a father of four, as the person who died.
The big picture: Akron police's standing among the Black community has faltered in recent years.
- In April, an officer shot 15-year-old Tavion Koonce-Williams in the hand while the teen was holding a fake gun.
- Charges against Koonce-Williams for possessing a fake gun were dismissed and the officer, Ryan Westlake, was terminated.
The department entered the national spotlight in 2022 when 25-year-old Jayland Walker was fatally shot by police during an attempted traffic stop.
- A preliminary autopsy found Walker had 46 gunshot wounds. Police said he fled the traffic stop in his car and fired a gunshot from his vehicle.
- When he pulled over and ran away, police contend that Walker reached for his waist, but Walker was not armed when police shot him. An Ohio grand jury declined to indict the officers involved.
What's next: Former Akron council member Tara Mosley Weems, who lives in the neighborhood where Sunday's shooting took place, told Ideastream that community policing would go a long way in repairing the relationship between residents and police.
- "We have to recruit officers that understand that you're going to have to be in the community," Weems said. "That has to be a requirement."
The bottom line: "You have to give people hope," Hannah said. "And when our young Black males don't have hope, then that's a catastrophe for violence."