Akron, Ohio shooting: 25 shots fired, 1 fatal, after chaos erupts at street party near Kelly Avenue and 8th Avenue, police say

AKRON, Ohio– At least 25 people were shot, one fatally, when gunfire erupted early Sunday morning during a large street party in Akron, Ohio, authorities said.

Two victims remain in critical condition, authorities said in a statement Sunday evening.

The victims' ages ranged from 19 to 33, with most individuals in their 30s, police said.

Authorities recovered two handguns at the scene, and evidence suggests there was a drive-by shooting involved in the incident with evidence of return fire, officials said.

As of Sunday evening, no arrests had been made and no suspects were present in the ongoing investigation, police said. Anyone with information was asked to contact Akron police.

The shooting occurred just after midnight in East Akron, followed by numerous 911 calls from witnesses reporting that several victims had been struck by bullets, according to a joint statement released Sunday morning by Akron Mayor Shammas Malik and Police Chief Brian Harding, who was sworn in last week. lead the department.

As police responded to the scene of the shooting, local hospitals reported that several people had arrived at their respective emergency rooms with gunshot wounds.

One victim, a 27-year-old man, was killed in the chaos near the intersection of Kelly and 8th Avenue, authorities told Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS.

“This morning, our city is in shock after the devastation of senseless violence,” Malik and Harding said in their joint statement. “With more than two dozen victims, the pain and trauma reverberates throughout Akron today as we search for answers. As with all acts of violence in our city, our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones. “

No details were available on a motive.

“We will bring those responsible to justice and we need the help of our community to do that,” the mayor and police chief said. “For those who have information about this horrific shooting, we need you to speak out in order to prevent further violence and retaliation. This can be done anonymously.”

Witnesses told WEWS that several gunshots sent hundreds of people running for cover. A witness, who only wanted to give her first name, Brittney, said the shooting broke out after the street party turned into numerous street fights.

“There were people fighting in the street; women were yelling at their men, like they were trying to push them away,” Brittney told WEWS. “But at that point the situation got too out of hand. There were probably 20 to 30 men fighting in the street. So I wasted no time in going through there and getting out of there.”

Another witness told the station that the street party went from a fun event to a chaotic event in a matter of seconds.

“Everyone was wearing white T-shirts; there were women dancing on the roofs of vehicles. It looked like a scene from a Spring Break movie. It looked like everyone was having a good time. On The way back, it was a completely different scene,” the witness said.

At least seven patients with gunshot wounds were admitted to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital, including one in critical condition, hospital officials said. Following the shooting and the influx of patients, the hospital placed its emergency room on “hard lockdown” from just after midnight until 3:30 a.m., hospital spokesman Joe Milicia told ABC News.

“It’s a common procedure when there are gunshot victims,” Milicia said of the lockdown.

Summa Health in Akron said it treated 15 patients Sunday morning, 13 of whom had non-life-threatening injuries. One person taken to Summa Health remains in critical condition, hospital officials said.