AKRON, Ohio — What led up to a shootout between a man in a stolen car and Akron police?
That question continues to haunt the family of 39-year-old Marcus Smith days after the deadly Presidents' Day encounter in a Summit Lake neighborhood.
RELATED: Man fatally shot by Akron police identified as 39-year-old man from Cincinnati
Relatives of Marcus are now speaking out. They believe struggles with mental health played a role in the tragedy, and they're urging more mental health awareness among families and communities.
The incident culminated on a chilly Monday morning on Ira Avenue near Lakeshore Boulevard.
Residents reported hearing about 20 to 30 gunshots. When the popping sounds stopped, Marcus was critically injured. He was taken to an Akron hospital, where he died.
His family said Marcus, who lived in Cincinnati, didn't own a gun or have a criminal record, and it was completely out of character for him to be involved in something like that.
"No warning signs because he presented well," said his aunt, Jackie Jackson.
To relatives, Marcus was loving, caring and accomplished.
He had his master's in sociology and was working on his PhD.
He had experience as an assistant basketball coach at several universities and even helped basketball players on an international level.
"He also worked with the Olympic team that was going to London as a coordinator," said his sister, Ashley Ivory.
But his family said he also faced challenges. He was dismissed from a doctoral program at the University of Cincinnati and, over the past few years, seemed to struggle with mental illness and depression.
Jackie and Ashley feel there were no plans in place to help Marcus deal with his struggles.
"Marcus went to get help, but the question was, was he diagnosed? If he's diagnosed, is he being treated?" Jackie said.
Ashley added, "Mental illness doesn't have a face. We have to continue to help our loved ones."
According to the family, Marcus has been staying with his father at his Akron home for a few weeks.
Police said Marcus stole his dad's car Monday morning. Around 8:45 a.m., police spotted the vehicle and tried to pull it over. There was a short pursuit.
Moments later, Marcus fired shots at three officers, both inside and outside of the car, according to police.
Investigators said the officers returned fire and killed Marcus.
"There are tons of layers to it, and now we're trying to fold those back. But I think for the community and for the police and for all of us, it's sad," Ashley said.
Brian Lucey, president of Akron FOP Lodge 7, said he understands the importance of getting help for those facing mental health issues, and he sympathizes with Marcus's family, but he also stressed the shooting was traumatizing for the officers involved.
"We had three officers that were shot at and could have been murdered by this violent individual," Lucey said. "Being shot at is probably the scariest thing you'll ever face in this job."
Lucey said it was lucky that no one else was hit by the gunfire in the neighborhood.
"He shot at officers from a moving car, putting an entire neighborhood on that street in danger because those bullets can go anywhere," Lucey said.
BCI is investigating the deadly shooting. It could take months before the case is turned over to the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
The officers involved in the shooting are on paid leave, per policy. Akron police plan to release the body-worn camera footage from the incident by Monday.
Meanwhile, as Marcus's family continues to cope with his sudden death, they'll continue to push for mental health awareness.
"I think that if you don't get these individuals the help that they need, we don't want any other catastrophic incidents to happen," Jackie said.
The family released this statement Wednesday evening following Smith's death:
My brother, Marcus L.Smith, tried often to get help for his mental illness and depression since he was dismissed from the doctoral program in the spring of 2023 at the University of Cincinnati, where he taught sociology.
Marcus recognized his weaknesses, so he took matters into his own hands. He admitted himself into the hospital for mental evaluation, partly because of his bouts with paranoia. He twice sought medical help, but there were no plans to deal or cope with his situation following his treatment.
As a consequence, his life slowly unraveled. He lost his support system: a caring stepfather, who served as his confidante; a grandmother who was his best friend. Ultimately, he was forced to rely on medications that only worsened his condition.
Marcus became more and more depressed after receiving a buyout from the University of Cincinnati. He couldn’t accept how close he was to achieving his goal only to have it all taken away from him. He would say the university took his life away.
Marcus was born in Akron and grew up in Cincinnati. He was a published author, a college coach and played on a Cincinnati Roger Bacon’s state championship basketball team that beat LeBron James and St. Vincent-St. Mary.
He was a remarkably accomplished young man, with multiple master degrees. In 2015 Marcus was a graduate assistant for Akron University. Marcus' love for people and sports was unmatched. From 2015 - 2107 Marcus was an Olympic staff coordinator, working along with some of the greats like the late legend Kobe Bryant.
Marcus was a devoted family man and friend who always supported others who were in need. Yet, he talked about ending it all because he couldn’t get the help he needed. We implore everyone to make an effort to recognize the signs of mental health, which is often difficult.
My brother was an intelligent man who struggled with identifying his illness. Our family asks everyone in the Akron community to check on your loved ones and support them, sometimes when they can’t help themselves.
