AKRON, Ohio — Akron Mayor Shammas Malik held a press conference Wednesday morning to discuss a variety of topics, including statistics regarding violent crime and calls for Police Chief Brian Harding to resign.
Below are highlights of some topics discussed at the press conference...
JUNE 2 MASS SHOOTING
Akron police are still working to solve the mass shooting where nearly 30 people were hurt -- including one death -- which happened in the overnight hours in the area of Kelly and 8th avenues.
“We have continued to receive tips on the shooting and detectives continue to follow up on each and every tip that we receive," Chief Harding said. "Since our last update, detectives have worked in excess of an additional 400 hours on this case. We continue to ask anyone with information to please come forward. You can remain anonymous.”
Chief Harding said that one detective continues to work exclusively on this case in coordination with partner agencies like the FBI, U.S. Marshals, BCI and the Summit County Sheriff's Office.
To date, no suspects have been arrested.
AKRON CRIME STATISTICS
During Wednesday's press conference, city officials shared a series of statistics that show a decrease in violent crime.
The data, which ranges from September 2023 through September 2024 show the following:
- 33 percent decrease in shootings and shots-fired calls.
- 38 percent decrease in number of shootings into habitations.
- 25 percent overall decrease in offenses where a gun was used.
- 20 murders last year compared to 15 this year.
- Of 35 combined murders, they’ve made an arrest or signed a warrant on 23 of them so far, which is a 66 percent solve rate.
- Last year at this time there were 133 adult non-fatal shooting victims and 21 juveniles. So far this year, there have been 107 adults and 14 juveniles.
- 2 percent decrease in robberies.
- 8 percent decrease in felonious assaults.
- 9 percent decrease in rapes.
- Increase in recovering illegal guns at 806 when compared to 648 during the same time period last year.
CALLS FOR CHIEF HARDING TO RESIGN
Mayor Malik said those calls for Chief Harding to step down "are misplaced," which comes in connection with the case of Dierra Fields.
Our news partners at Signal Akron report that Fields had been body slammed and arrested during an incident earlier this year.
“In the investigation that followed, APD’s office of professional standards and accountability, determined that the use of force with regard to Ms. Fields did not violate policy," Mayor Malik said.
The Independent Police Auditor's Office and Civilian Police Oversight Board disagreed and recommended the determination be changed, according to Mayor Malik. So the incident was reviewed again.
“Based upon their professional judgment, they did not agree with the auditor’s recommendation on the use of force," Mayor Malik said. "They maintained the determination that the use of force was within policy and was objectively reasonable. That is the administration’s determination for the purposes of discipline.’
Mayor Malik said he has not requested Chief Harding to change the determination.
“What I see here is that there are many people in the community who say that -- whether this is within policy or not -- that this use of force involving Ms. Fields is not the kind of policing we want to see," Mayor Malik said. "Honestly, that’s how I feel, too, from when I first watched the recording to standing here with you all today. At the same time, we have law enforcement professionals who are policing experts who are saying it’s not a good outcome, but that it’s not something prohibited by our policy. So, that means in my mind and my judgment, that we need to do a comprehensive policy review into our use-of-force policy. We need to find ways to strengthen and improve that policy, to highlight the type of policing that we want to see and to make bad outcomes like this less likely.”
Mayor Malik said this kind of review is the way to have lasting, meaningful change on this issue.
“I want us to have a real discussion as a community about what we want to see from our officers, recognizing that a lot of people feel that cases like this should be prohibited. Recognizing that there are a lot of difficult cases where split-second determinations need to be made, but having those conversations as a community head-on in finding a solution, coming through those difficult conversations and coming out on the other side with a policy and practices that hopefully we can all have more confidence in.”
Mayor Malik said that Chief Harding has his full support.
"I believe he is the right person to lead us and lead this department to help us accomplish the change that people are demanding. I ask the chief for his best judgment on very difficult matters. That judgment is informed by his knowledge and by years of experience, and I take that very seriously.”
Earlier this week, a separate press conference was held as the Freedom Bloc called for Chief Harding to step down, which 3News' Mitti Hicks explains in the video below.
Harding, who was sworn in as Akron's police chief on May 28, also addressed the calls for him to resign.
“I remain deeply committed to continuing this important work as we strive for the best outcomes," he said. "The auditor and I may not always agree on his findings, but we both want what’s best for Akron and the safety of everyone.”
Chief Harding said they are working on additional use-of-force training and de-escalation training for officers within the department.