AKRON, Ohio — Akron police have adjusted the number of people who were hurt during a mass shooting in East Akron multiple times since the terrifying incident unfolded on June 2.
The number of victims has ranged from 24 to 28 over the past 31 days, but on Wednesday, police confirmed they have now counted 30 people who were shot.
That includes the father who was killed in the hail of gunfire, 27-year-old LaTeris Cook.
No one has been arrested, and no charges have been filed.
Cook's stepmother, Kalandra McDowell, said it's beyond time for the people who know the truth to come forward.
"At the end of the day, you have 30 families affected. The number has went up. If you do know anything, it's helpful," McDowell said. "This is not about a snitching process or you're holding the streets down or some street code crap. Families want to know things."
The shooting happened after midnight during a birthday celebration around Kelly Avenue and 8th Avenue.
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Police acknowledged keeping track of the number of victims has been challenging.
Some of them went to hospitals by ambulance, while others were taken by private auto.
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Additionally, during recent interviews, police discovered other shooting victims from the incident who did not seek medical treatment.
Asked if the department was any closer to making an arrest, Lt. Brent Bauknecht said, "Detectives, I can tell you, are putting in overtime. They're following up on every single lead."
Police released blurry photographs of a white SUV with dark-tinted windows that traveled southbound on Kelly Avenue immediately following the shooting.
"We think that the SUV that we released was involved in the shooting," Bauknecht said.
McDowell said she's also frustrated by what she perceives to be a slow pace of the investigation. She's also bothered that she hasn't heard personally from investigators or city leaders about the case.
"Whenever y'all are ready to reach out to me— mayor, whoever else wants to talk to me— I'm free," she said.
After this story was published, Akron Police sent out the following statement regarding the investigation and Cook's family:
Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Lateris Cook. The investigation remains ongoing and we continue to follow up on leads and tips from our community. One of our detectives was able to connect with both Lateris Cook’s parents this afternoon and we will keep lines of communication open as the investigation continues.
Complicating the case is the number of guns that appeared to have been fired during the mass shooting. Police said they found shell casings from more than five guns.
Bauknecht implored the public to come forward with any information on the shooting.
"Any bit of information, we are taking in. We are going through and we are following up on leads. All of that is very helpful to the investigation," he said.
Last month, the City of Akron public canceled events for a weekend, including multiple Juneteenth celebrations.
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McDowell said she is devastated, and so is her wife (Cook's mother), along with Cook's four children, ages four to 11.
"This is heartbreaking. This is hard. These 30 days feel like it's just yesterday. This don't feel like 30 days. This feels like yesterday," McDowell said. "It is a pain you can't describe."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Summit County Crimestoppers and the U.S Marshals Service are offering a reward of up to $22,500 for information that leads to the identification, arrest and successful prosecution of a suspect.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Akron Police Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS.
