Akron Police have released photos of a "suspect vehicle" believed to have "contributed" to the mass shooting that killed one person and wounded 27 others.
The shooting occurred just after midnight at a birthday party on the corner of Kelly and Eighth Avenues in East Akron on June 2, according to police. Lateris Cook, 27, of Akron died in the shooting and at least two other people were critically injured, police said.
The vehicle is a white SUV with dark-tinted windows, according to a Tuesday news release. It is believed to have traveled southbound on Kelly Avenue right after the shooting.
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik and Police Chief Brian Harding are asking anyone with information about the vehicle to alert police.
“The Akron Police Department is working diligently on this investigation, and this update brings them one step closer to solving this case,” Malik said in the release. “We continue to encourage anyone with any information about the identified vehicle or this shooting to please come forward.”
The vehicle was identified by interviewing numerous people, reviewing tips and analyzing evidence, officials said in the release.
“This shooting has left a traumatic impact on the victims, their families, and, indirectly, the entire Akron community,” Harding said in the release. “As a result, the members of the Akron Police Department, along with all our partner law enforcement agencies who are assisting us, remain deeply committed to solving this case and bringing the person or persons responsible to justice.”
Police have not released any additional information about a suspect or suspects. They are still investigating whether the shooting was random or targeted, Harding previously told Ideastream Public Media.
An award of up to $22,500 for information has been offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Summit County Crimestoppers, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Officials encourage anyone with information to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip. They can also submit information anonymously to The Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS or text TIPSCO at 274637, according to the release.
