Shooting in Ohio kills 1, wounds 2 dozen others, police say
An early morning shooting in Ohio killed one person and injured at least two dozen people, some critically, police said.
Shots were reported at a street party in the city of Akron early Sunday just after midnight and multiple victims were hit by the gunfire, police said. Local hospitals told emergency dispatchers soon afterward that people were arriving in their emergency departments with gunshot wounds.
One 27-year-old man was confirmed dead. At least two of the injured victims were in critical condition, Akron Police Chief Brian Harding said at a Sunday evening news conference. The victims ranged in age from 19 to 43, with the majority in their thirties.
Officers were initially called to the area at 10 p.m. and broke up a crowd of over 200 people who had gathered for a birthday party, Harding said. The crowd gathered again after police left the area, Harding said, and officers returned around midnight when the gunfire was reported.
Harding said the victims were spread out over a large area and the number of bullet casings indicated it was possible someone might have shot at the crowd from a moving car while others at the party may have returned fire. Two handguns were recovered at the scene, though the casings indicate other weapons were used as well.
No arrests have been made and authorities urged the community to come forward with information about the suspects and the vehicle involved in the shooting. Harding said that over 100 people may have witnessed the incident, adding, "They have an obligation to speak up."
Authorities are offering a $22,500 reward for any information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of a suspect, the City of Akron announced Sunday night.
Calling gun violence in the U.S. an epidemic, Malik said the incident was the latest in a long line of shootings that have taken place across the nation.
"Here, the sheer number of victims is shocking and deeply concerning," Malik said. "We can only be thankful that of the 25 individuals injured, we did not have more fatalities."
"This morning, our city is reeling after the devastation of senseless violence," Malik and Capt. Michael Miller, an Akron police public information officer, said in a joint statement earlier Sunday. "With more than two dozen victims, the pain and trauma reverberates across all of Akron today as we search for answers. As with all acts of violence in our city, our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones."
The hospital system Summa Health treated 15 patients who were involved in the shooting, a spokesperson confirmed in a statement to CBS News. One person was pronounced dead on arrival and another was being treated for serious injuries, with their condition listed as critical on Sunday morning, according to the statement.
The remaining 13 people suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, and they were either in the process of being discharged or discharged already.
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