CLEVELAND — A 19-year-old man is dead and another man was injured after the alleged victim of an attempted robbery shot both suspects in Akron on Thursday afternoon, police said.
According to a media release from the Akron Police Department, the shooting took place just before 3 p.m. in the 2100 block of 19th Street Southwest.
An alleged victim told police that two men drew handguns in an attempt to rob him. The victim told police that he drew his weapon and fired multiple shots, hitting both suspects.
One of the alleged robbery suspects, a 19-year-old man, was found in the driveway with gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead at the scene. Summit County Medical Examiner Gary Guenther on Friday identified the 19-year-old as Akron resident Javeone Aamir Suggs. An autopsy revealed his cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the chest and his death was ruled a homicide.
The other alleged robbery suspect, a 22-year-old man, fled the scene after he was shot in the leg. Police say he later entered Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center to be treated for an injury that is not believed to be life-threatening.
Akron police believe that the victim of the robbery was allegedly in the process of selling marijuana to the 19-year-old and the 22-year-old man.
"At some point during the transaction, the suspects reportedly attempted to rob the victim at gunpoint. It was then that investigators believe the victim produced his gun and shot both men," said Akron police.
Based on the investigation findings, officers arrested and charged 30-year-old Jerry Ratliff with trafficking in marijuana. Additionally, 22-year-old Jovante Dowdell was charged with murder and aggravated robbery and is being held at the Summit County Jail.
Police asked anyone with information about the incident to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip.
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