Ohio Mass shooting occurred in the city of Akron in the early hours of Sunday morning near the intersection of Kelly Avenue and 8th Street resulted in one fatality and at least 24 injuries. The incident occurred during a large street party which had initially been dispersed by police but later resumed.
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The shooting occurred just after midnight local time (05:00 BST) in East Akron, near Kelly Avenue and 8th Street, Ohio. A 27-year-old man was killed and 24 others were injured.
The injured victims’ ages ranged from 19 to 43 years old with most individuals being in their 30s. At least two victims remained in critical condition as of the latest reports.
Police officers arriving at the scene discovered dozens of bullet casings and a gun. Local hospitals began receiving gunshot victims shortly after the shooting was reported.
The shooting took place during a large street party described by witnesses as having hundreds of people, most of whom were wearing white T-shirts.
One witness, Jehovah Jones initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks, thinking it was an early Fourth of July celebration.
Witnesses described seeing people running for cover and numerous street fights breaking out. One witness named Brittney said, “There were probably 20 to 30 men fighting in the street. So I wasted no time getting through there and out of there.”
Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital implemented a hard lockdown for its emergency room from just after midnight until 3:30 a.m. to manage the gunshot victims.
The Akron Police Department confirmed that no arrests had been made and that the investigation was in its preliminary stages.
Police recovered two handguns and over 35 shell casings from multiple weapons including an assault-style weapon.
Evidence suggested a drive-by shooting with returned fire. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik and Police Chief Brian Harding issued a joint statement expressing their commitment to bringing those responsible to justice and urged anyone with information to come forward anonymously.
The statement read, “With more than two dozen victims, the pain and trauma reverberates across all of Akron today as we search for answers.”
Summit County Crimestoppers and the U.S. Marshals Office offered a combined reward of $12,500 for information leading to arrests in connection with the shooting.
The Ohio mass shooting in Akron was one of high-profile shootings over the weekend across the United States. In suburban Pittsburgh, a shooting at Ballers Hookah Lounge and Cigar Bar resulted in two deaths and seven injuries.
In total, 29 people were killed in gun violence incidents on Saturday alone, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Mass shootings in the U.S. have decreased in 2024 compared to the previous year.
There have been 187 mass shootings so far in 2024, down from 271 by the same time in 2023. Deaths from mass shootings have also decreased by 35%, from 341 in 2023 to 220 in 2024, and injuries have dropped by 27.6%, from 1,073 to 776.
Florida has experienced the most mass shootings this year with 16 incidents, while Illinois has seen the highest number of deaths totaling 25 victims.
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The joint statement from city officials addressed the collective experienced by residents. “Our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones.”
Local media outlets like News 5 Cleveland, WEWS-TV, and CBS affiliate WOIO provided detailed coverage of the event. They reported on the discovery of the bullet casings, the police investigation, and the people’s reaction.
Various witnesses shared their experiences with descriptions of the shooting turning a vibrant street party into panic and terror.
One witness described it as “a completely different scene” upon returning to the area after the chaos erupted.
Summa Health in Akron treated 15 patients, 13 of whom had non-life-threatening injuries. Hospital officials confirmed that one person remained in critical condition.
Police Chief Brian Harding described the violence as having the characteristics of a drive-by shooting. Some partygoers reportedly returned fire.
Investigators recovered two handguns and believe a rifle was also used. The scene was with spent shell casings, primarily from pistols.
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A 27-year-old male was killed in the shooting. Twenty-four individuals sustained injuries. The ages of the victims ranged from 19 to 43, with most in their 30s.
Two of the injured are in critical condition. Many victims arrived at local hospitals via private vehicles. The Cleveland Clinic reported admitting nine patients, with one in critical condition.
Authorities are calling on witnesses to come forward as many as 100 people are believed to have seen the shooting.
There are concerns about retaliatory violence and police are taking steps to prevent it. A $12,500 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction including contributions from the U.S. Marshals Service and a local Crime Stoppers organization.
Police Chief Brian said, “We are imploring the community to come forward with anything that you might know regarding this terrible incident.”
Mayor Shammas Malik said, “The level of violence in our community and frankly in communities across the country is out of control; the availability of weapons, the casualness with which some people use weapons.”
Former Ward 5 Councilwoman Tara Mosley Weems described the area where the party occurred as looking like a war zone.
Additional patrols have been deployed in the area and police are collaborating with federal and state partners. To address community distrust in law enforcement, multiple avenues for anonymous tips have been provided.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been over 180 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2024. In 2023, there were 655 mass shootings, 644 in 2022, and 689 in 2021. The number of mass shootings so far in 2024 is lower compared to some recent years.
Two people were killed and seven others were injured in a shooting at Ballers Hookah Lounge and Cigar Bar in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh. This shooting occurred before 3 a.m. on Sunday and involved multiple shooters following an altercation inside the bar.
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