AKRON, Ohio — La'Shae Ellis had a bright future and a career path ahead of her, but that promising potential will never be realized after her young life was cut short —at the age of 18— by gunfire at a Halloween party.
Her murder, which happened Saturday night on Paris Avenue in Akron, remains unsolved. La'Shae's heartbroken and confused mother, Krystal Ellis, continues to search for answers and justice.
"They literally murdered my child. I don't know no any other way to put it. My child was murdered and she needs justice," Krystal said.
During an interview outside of her home, Krystal told News 5 that La'Shae was smart and driven. She graduated a year early from Buchtel High School. She was studying business and entrepreneurship at Stark State.
"She was a bubbly kid, an angel. She was literally an angel, the sweetest child— sweet and smart," she said.
La'Shae also held a job working at a daycare with a dream of owning her own daycare one day.
"She knew what she wanted to do. She's not going to be able to do it now," Krystal said.
Just before 11 p.m., police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting at a Halloween house party in the Summit Lake neighborhood.
In one call, a man told a dispatcher, "There's somebody that just got shot outside of my house."
In a cellphone video obtained by News 5, a woman is heard describing the aftermath of the shooting.
"It's like 100, 200 kids out here, teenagers, I don't what they are," she said.
According to Captain Michael Miller, a group of people came to the party, and a man in that group pulled out a gun and started firing.
Three teens were shot. Two survived. La'Shae did not. Miller said there's no evidence to suggest La'Shae was targeted for any reason.
Toby Wright, 18, has been La'Shae's close friend since ninth grade. He is now left feeling crushed, wondering how anyone could kill her.
"La'Shae is the sweetest person, the most wonderful person that you could ever come across," Wright said. "It hurts so much. I really do miss her. I'm just devastated about the situation."
Police said an 18-year-old man who ran from the area and tossed a gun was arrested, but he's not considered a suspect in the murder.
Summit County Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that solves the crime.
Miller said investigators continue to canvass the neighborhood and gather new information. He's asking those who know the truth about the killing to examine their conscience.
"What if it were their sister, loved one, their neighbor, someone they cared about? We just want that collective community response," he said.
In the meantime, a grieving mother is forced to prepare for the funeral of her daughter— who was just barely an adult— while also hoping and praying for justice for La'Shae.
"Y'all murdered an angel, literally. My baby is gone because of gun," Krystal Ellis said. "If somebody knows something, say something, please."
Tipsters can remain anonymous when calling Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS.
