Four days after a mass shooting at a crowded birthday party in East Akron, Mayor Shammas Malik and Police Chief Brian Harding announced more victims were identified, more guns recovered, more shell casings discovered, more agencies involved, and more reward money offered in hopes of solving the case.
The number of suspects police identified, however, remains the same as when they first addressed the media on Sunday evening: Zero.
“At this time, we do not have a vehicle or suspect information to share,” Harding said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
“… We have been getting some support, we have been getting information and leads, but those can be time consuming for us to work on as well. I don’t want to give any descriptions that I can’t confirm. I don’t want to give you one today and have it be wrong later.”
It’s still not known if multiple people fired shots from the vehicle alleged to have started the shooting or just how many people fired back.
More shooting victims
Harding identified two additional gunshot victims, bringing the total of people hit by bullets just after midnight on Sunday to 27. Lateris Cook, 27, was the only person killed in the shooting; two people remain in critical condition.
More evidence of shootings
On Sunday, Harding announced that at least 35 shell casings had been fired from multiple guns. He said then that two handguns were recovered at the scene, and of the guns fired, at least one “does appear to be a rifle.”
Harding updated those numbers on Wednesday: 45 shell casings were recovered, and those bullets were fired from at least five different weapons. Three handguns were recovered, and Harding confirmed that at least one person attending the party fired back at the initial shooter or shooters.
“We do not know whether it was one initial shooter or several, and we don’t know how many individuals at the party returned fire at this point,” Harding said.
The recovered guns have been tested for DNA, and it should take about 30 days for the results, he said. The shell casings were entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, a program run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, for further analysis.
Federal agencies involved
Malik thanked the Biden administration for its support and said that the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs reached out to offer support.
“We’ve had several meetings with their staff and their team over the last few days to discuss national and state resources that the City of Akron can access to deal with this tragedy,” Malik said.
The FBI, ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office have been helping in the investigation, Harding said.
Despite the roughly 100 people present at the event, there have not been many leads provided from people present during the shooting. On Sunday, Malik strongly called for partygoers to speak up.
“To everyone who was present at the party at the time of the shooting, we need you to speak with police,” he said.”You have an obligation to speak with police to help us solve this case.”
On Wednesday, Malik took a softer tone.
“Folks who were there, present at the party, they’re dealing with somebody opening fire on them,” he explained after a reporter asked why police haven’t gotten good leads from the partygoers. “People hit the ground, people are in the middle of a chaotic situation. We have to understand and respect that piece as well…. We don’t want to imply that folks who were there were doing anything wrong.”
Still, both Malik and Harding said, they need people to come forward with information about who pulled the triggers.
The total reward for information that leads to the identification, arrest and successful prosecution of a suspect is at $22,500. This includes up to $10,000 from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (which was offered after Sunday evening’s press conference); $5,000 from Summit County Crime Stoppers; and $7,500 from the U.S. Marshall’s Office.
Those with information can call APD’s detective bureau at 330-375-2490. Information can also be submitted anonymously the following ways:
- Call Summit County Crime Stoppers at 330-434-COPS
- Text “TIPSCO” and any relevant information to 274637
- Download the Akron PD app
- Use the tip form on APD’s website
