An alarming incident unfolded in Akron during a Facebook Marketplace transaction when a couple was robbed at gunpoint. According to Cleveland19, the couple arranged to buy an iPhone and iPad yesterday evening. The meeting, which was to take place in the 1100 block of Morningview Ave. around 6:30 p.m., took a dangerous turn when an unknown man brandishing a gun threatened their lives and fired a shot into the ground.

The victims, in fear for their safety, were forced to throw their money out of the car window hastily. The assailant then fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, leaving the couple shaken but unharmed. As reported by WKYC, Akron police arrived shortly after to collect a shell casing and other evidence, but they currently do not have a detailed description of the suspect.

This violent robbery adds to the concerns over the safety of online marketplace transactions. FOX8 notes that the police are actively seeking tips from the public to aid their search for the assailant.

Residents are encouraged to take caution when meeting strangers for online exchanges and to use public, well-lit areas for such transactions. In this case, even a seemingly safe neighborhood was the backdrop for an encounter that nearly cost two people their lives. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are determined to apprehend the individual responsible for this heinous crime quickly.