Nearly three minutes of security camera footage recorded last week at Firestone Community Learning Center captures a physical confrontation between two Akron police officers and a 16-year-old student.   

The officers in the video, which lasts two minutes and 35 seconds, are highlighted, while students’ facesare redacted by Akron Public Schools. There is no sound in the video.  

:08 — It begins with the student, wearing yellow pants and a dark shirt, walking through a metal detector, followed closely by Firestone’s campus principal, Tina Loughry, who is wearing a light purple shirt. 

YouTube video
Nearly three minutes of security camera footage recorded last week at Firestone Community Learning Center captures a physical confrontation between two Akron police officers and a 16-year-old student. (Video courtesy of Akron Public Schools)

:13 — Akron Police Officer Zachary McCormick points at the student, indicating that he needs to go back through. Officer Daniel Henry, working a separate security line, walks over to assist. The student tries to walk by the officers, but McCormick grabs the student’s arm and turns him back toward the metal detectors. 

:19 — The student removes a pair of headphones and walks toward the metal detectors, which are not in view in the video. McCormick points the student back toward the metal detectors.

:30 — When the student re-enters the frame, he again tries to walk past the officers; they turn him around again. One of the officers appears to speak to the student. The student walks out of the frame again. 

Akron Police Officer Zachary McCormick, left, who was the school resource officer assigned to Firestone CLC, and Officer Daniel Henry, right, work to restrain a Firestone student
In a screengrab from a video of the incident provided by Akron Public Schools, Akron Police Officer Zachary McCormick, left, who was the school resource officer assigned to Firestone CLC, and Officer Daniel Henry, right, work to restrain a Firestone student who tried to avoid the metal detectors at the school’s entrance. McCormick punched the student at least three times before taking him down to the ground during the altercation, based on Signal Akron’s review of the video. The school district selectively blurred the video to protect student identities. (Video courtesy of Akron Public Schools)

An officer can then be seen motioning someone forward — the student walks directly to McCormick, who turns him around again. The student takes several steps back toward the metal detectors, but stops short and returns to McCormick. 

:45 — The student more strongly tries to push past the officers, who this time follow the student back toward the metal detectors and grasp his arms, struggling as they pull him back into the frame. The principal moves away from the conflict, positioning themselves behind a nearby table. 

:53 — Each officer holds the student by an arm. The student appears to struggle to escape the grasp of the officers. 

:57 — One of the officers appears to fall while trying to take the student to the ground. The principal pulls a table out of the way. When the officer gets back up, he grabs the student’s left leg, forcing the student to his knees. 

1:08 — The two officers, one on each side of the student, lead him away from the metal detector and tables. As they reach the end of the tables, McCormick throws three punches in the area of the student’s head.

Akron Police Officer Zachary McCormick, who was the school resource officer assigned to Firestone CLC, raises his arm to punch a Firestone student.
In a screengrab from a video of the incident provided by Akron Public Schools, Akron Police Officer Zachary McCormick, who was the school resource officer assigned to Firestone CLC, raises his arm to punch a Firestone student (in yellow pants) who tried to avoid the metal detectors at the school’s entrance. Following the three punches, Officer Daniel Henry, in back, and McCormick take the student to the ground. The video was selectively blurred by the school district to protect student identities.

1:14 — The officers and the student fall to the ground. 

1:17 — A crowd begins to gather around them. The principal puts their arms out, keeping others from approaching the officers and the student. Students and other adults hover nearby.

1:46 — Daniels gets up off the ground as McCormick handcuffs the student. The same officer then turns the student over on his side and appears to pat him down. 

2:27 — The officers and the student get up, and the officers lead the handcuffed student away.

Culture & Arts Reporter (she/her)
Brittany is an accomplished journalist who’s passionate about the arts, civic engagement and great storytelling. She has more than a decade of experience covering culture and arts, both in Ohio and nationally. She previously served as the associate editor of Columbus Monthly, where she wrote community-focused stories about Central Ohio’s movers and shakers. A lifelong Ohioan, she grew up in Springfield and graduated from Kent State University.