Morning traffic along Akron's Kenmore Boulevard came to a sudden stop Wednesday when a 29-year-old man, shot multiple times, was found lying on the sidewalk. Officers and EMS crews responded to the 800 block of Kenmore Boulevard around 10 a.m., and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Neighbors and shop owners described a busy stretch of storefronts that was quickly taped off as detectives moved in to collect evidence.
What police say
Akron police say the shooting started as two men were sitting outside a smoke shop when a car traveling south on 9th Street SW opened fire. The gunfire struck the 29-year-old man and sent the second man running. Police told News 5 Cleveland that the business is called Fat Albert Exotics and that the victim worked there. The shooter or shooters sped away in a vehicle, and investigators are canvassing the neighborhood for surveillance footage.
Scene, evidence and investigation
The call came in at about 10:01 a.m., and detectives from the Akron Police Department's Crime Scene Unit processed the scene, WOIO/Cleveland 19 reported. Officers interviewed nearby residents and checked with local businesses for video that could help identify the vehicle and the people inside. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Akron Police Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490.
How to help investigators
Authorities have not released the victim's name; the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine cause and other details, according to Cleveland.com. Tipsters can call detectives at 330-375-2490 or submit anonymous information to Summit County CrimeStoppers at 330-434-COPS. Police are asking anyone with dash-cam or doorbell video from the Kenmore Boulevard area between 9th Street SW and surrounding blocks to come forward.
