Gunmen reportedly opened fire in a neighborhood in Akron, Ohio, Saturday night, killing one and wounding at least 24 people.
The Akron Police Department received several emergency calls just after midnight on June 1 related to several shots being fired with multiple victims, according to a press release. Shortly after the calls came in, the dispatch center received more calls from local hospitals reporting on multiple individuals arriving in the emergency room with gunshot wounds.
Mayor Shammas Malik and Chief Brian Harding released a statement saying the city “is reeling after the devastation of senseless violence.”
“With more than two dozen victims, the pain and trauma reverberates across all of Akron today as we search for answers. As with all acts of violence in our city, our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones,” the statement read. (RELATED: Seven Shot As Gunman Opens Fire After High School Graduation Ceremony)
The mayor and police chief also vowed to “bring those responsible to justice.”
The shooting occurred at a street party, leaving a 27-year-old man dead and two of the victims in critical condition, according to ABC News 5 Cleveland.
Police officers arrived at the private residence at around 10 p.m., where a birthday party was being held. They asked the 200 partygoers who were shooting loud fireworks to disperse from the street because of traffic. However, the individuals returned to the party before midnight, shortly before the reports of shots fired came in, the news outlet noted.
Former Ward 5 Councilwoman Tara Mosley Weems, who lives in the area, told reporters, “It didn’t seem like Akron, it seemed like a war zone.”
A witness said people were enjoying themselves before the shooting started. “Everyone was wearing white T-shirts; there were women on top of vehicles dancing. It looked like a scene from a spring break movie. It looked like everyone was having a good time. On our way back it was a completely different scene,” the witness recalled.
The authorities found two handguns and several different types of shell casings, including some coming from a rifle.
During a press conference, Harding indicated that the evidence at the scene suggested a drive-by shooting. A vehicle containing an unknown number of assailants arrived at the party and opened fire. There are also indications that some of the partygoers may have returned fire, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
