AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Police Department is investigating a shooting in the Patterson Park area of Akron that left a 21-year-old man dead Sunday afternoon.
At approximately 3 p.m., officers responded to the 600 block of Lucille Avenue after multiple calls reported gunfire in the area, police said.
News 5's Kaylee Olivas spoke with a resident who lives only yards from where the shooting occurred. He said he heard and watched everything unfold.
For safety purposes, the name of the resident will not be shared.
"I was upstairs in the back room of the house and heard a bunch of gunshots and came over, ran to the window and saw a fellow over there with what looked to be an AR style rifle shooting down. Then he got in a vehicle and fled up the street here and I came outside and walked over and there's a body laying over against the fence," he said.
The resident said he immediately called 911, and then Akron Police flooded his street.
When officers arrived, they found Keion LaShawn DeGrate, 21, unresponsive in a grassy area near the basketball courts, APD said.
Officials say EMS and a member of the medical examiner's office responded to the scene, and DeGrate— who was struck multiple times— was pronounced dead.
"Here's yet another incident of senseless gun violence. What's even more troubling and I think this is important to note is that there were rifle casings. Those are high caliber, higher velocity," Akron Police Captain Michael Miller shared.
According to police, the exact circumstances surrounding the incident are unknown. However, based on preliminary information, officials say at least one vehicle, possibly an SUV, fled from the scene after an unknown person fired multiple gunshots.
Akron Police has confirmed a vehicle potentially linked to the shooting has been recovered. It's now being tested for DNA.
APD says over a dozen rifle casings were recovered, along with other evidence collected at the scene.
"We have not seen different shell casings which would indicate multiple shooters. That doesn't mean that someone else isn't involved. The suspect could have been driven away from the scene and that would be troubling," Captain Miller added.
News 5 saw at least 22 evidence markers scattered near the basketball court at Patterson Park.
Officials say the investigation is still in its early stages, and detectives are trying to identify the person or people responsible for the fatal shooting.
News 5 spoke with another Akron local who lives nearby. He wasn't home at the time of the shooting but said it's "spooky" to see a tragedy like this on his block.
For safety purposes, he requested his name not be shared either.
"I have little nieces and nephews that's here as well. It's kind of scary with the kids and stuff like that being around," he said.
While he doesn't feel unsafe in his neighborhood, he said gun violence is starting to become the new norm.
"It was just a week or so ago, I guess over in the apartments on the other side of the park there was a guy they found shot in the apartments there," he added.
He explained how his 14-year-old nephew has also run into someone who threatened him with a gun while walking through the Patterson Park area about a year ago.
"I’ve never really had much problems. I like Akron, obviously because I've stayed here this long and stuff like that, but as of now it does seem like it's getting a little worse out there," he said.
As for his neighbor who described Sunday's shooting to News 5, he said he's glad no one else was hurt.
"Police got here real fast. I love them. I love our police department. They're great guys. They got out here fast. They were out here in force and got everything handled real quick," he stated.
Police ask anyone with information to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip. Citizens may also provide anonymous information to any of the following:
- The Summit County Crimestoppers, call 330-434-COPS
- Text TIPSCO with your tips to 274637
"We do our very best to try to curb gun violence and we recover a lot of illegal guns and have a lot of interactions with people with guns. This one cost a young man his life," Captain Miller explained.
So far this year, the Akron Police Department has seized more than 950 illegal guns, which is an increase from 2023.
"It is a problem not unique to Akron alone," Captain Miller stated. "We're really trying to evaluate where they're coming from."
