AKRON, Ohio — A woman was shot by an Akron Police officer Friday morning during a foot pursuit after the woman allegedly shot another woman inside a bar, according to Akron Police spokesperson Lt. Michael Miller.
Just before 3 a.m., a 21-year-old woman shot another 21-year-old woman inside the Oasis Surf and Turf bar on North Howard Street after a fight broke out at the bar, Miller told News 5. By the time officers arrived on scene, the shooting victim had already transported herself to a nearby hospital. On Saturday, Miller said the department learned the shooting victim had died from her injuries.
A witness at the bar flagged officers down and pointed in the direction that the female shooter was running — north on Howard Street, Miller said. Officers saw a woman running on Howard Street and caught up with her at a parking lot.
“At some point in that parking lot, the officer discharged his weapon, striking the suspect at least one time,” Miller said. “That female subject who was shot — the officer discharged his weapon — she was transported to Akron City Hospital and she's expected to survive with non-life threatening injuries.”
Miller said he believes the woman was shot in the leg or lower extremities.
"Officers witnessed what appeared to be the suspect raising her arm in a shooting manner," Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett told News 5. "And the officer engaged with gunfire, striking the suspect two times. When the suspect fell to the ground, and as the officers went to render aid, a gun was found next to her body."
Independent investigators from the Ohio BCI are already on the scene of the shootings Friday morning, Miller said, and the officer involved is on paid administrative leave, as is customary.
Mylett said BCI will determine exactly what the officer saw and perceived; Mylett said detail on whether the woman actually pointed a gun at the officer or not is "not something that I would have information or be privy to at this time."
Miller said that there was a homicide at the same bar recently, and underscored the fact that Akron, like other U.S. cities, is beset by gun violence.
“It kind of punctuates that very point, that this city, Akron, like other cities in the state and around the country, are inundated with incidents of gun violence,” Miller said. “And you see that here. This is the second time in recent weeks. Several weeks ago, there was an incident, a homicide here at this bar. And so, the officers are obviously familiar with this location as being one that would have some those types of problems here.”
This officer-involved shooting comes as protests are still taking place daily over the police shooting of Jayland Walker, though Miller says tensions in the city are not as high as they were in the first weeks after that shooting.
“In terms of the city…things have been tense, but we also have felt and seen a lot of collaboration and community support,” Miller said. “So we believe some of the tension is subsiding some; we understand the sentiments behind it initially.”
Authorities said that per city policy, police body camera video will be released to the public within seven days.
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