Akron mass shooting that left one dead and 24 injured may have started as a drive-by attack, police say; authorities ask for help from residents

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Police said they believe the shooting that killed one man and injured two dozen victims at a party early Sunday in Akron came from a drive-by attack, with residents possibly returning fire in chaos.

Akron Police Chief Brian Harding said officers found 35 shell casings from different weapons at the scene of the rally at Kelly and 8th Avenue on the city's East Side. He said shell casings from several weapons, including an assault rifle, had been found.

Police responded to several calls about shots fired at the party shortly after midnight Sunday. Officers later learned that several victims had been taken to local hospitals for treatment of gunshot wounds.

A 27-year-old man was killed. His identity has not been revealed.

“The number of casualties is shocking and deeply concerning,” Akron Mayor Shammas Malik told reporters Sunday evening. “We can only be grateful that of the 25 people injured, we did not have more deaths.”

Harding said authorities were looking into the possibility the incident was gang-related.

Crimestoppers and U.S. Marshals have teamed up to offer a $12,500 reward for information leading to an arrest. Speaking to reporters, Malik sought to put to rest suspicions of retaliation following the shooting.

“If violent retaliation is committed as a result of this shooting, anyone who engages in it will also be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Malik said.

Harding said patrol officers first went to a home on Kelly Avenue around 10 p.m. for reports of fireworks and loud noise at a large birthday party, where at least 200 people gathered in the street.

Police dispersed the crowd, but made no arrests, Harding said. The party-goers returned later. Police responded to the scene just after midnight following reports of a shooting. At local hospitals, several victims arrived by EMS and in private vehicles to be treated for gunshot wounds.

Two victims remain in critical condition. The injured ranged in age from 19 to 43, with most victims in their 30s, police said.

Harding said an investigation showed the incident appeared to have started as a drive-by shooting and that some individuals at the party fought back. It is not known if anyone was targeted. Police seized two handguns at the scene.

Authorities lack surveillance video from neighborhood cameras.

“We believe there are people in the community who have seen or know something, and we are asking them to come forward,” Harding said. “We believe there were dozens of people at the party at the time of the shooting and potentially more than 100 people who may have witnessed the incident.

“Anyone who saw something has an obligation to speak out in order to bring those responsible to justice. »

Ohio politicians, including U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and JD Vance, as well as U.S. Representatives Shontel Brown and Emilia Sykes, said they were stunned and horrified by the attack. Shontel Brown has called for stricter gun laws.

Tara Mosley Weems, a former Akron Ward 5 councilwoman, lives across the street from where the shooting took place. She told Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that the annual celebration for a beloved neighbor started out as a good time before the shots rang out. She said it went from “very jubilant” to chaotic.

“We can no longer afford to protect ourselves from shooting,” Mosley Weems said in a statement to residents and reporters. “We must take proactive measures to prevent such phenomena from happening. Gun violence is a complex problem that requires a multifaceted solution. »