AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Police Department has identified three suspects wanted in the murder of 18-year-old Na’Kia Crawford.
The shooter has been identified 17-year-old Adarus Black. A warrant for his arrest for murder has been issued. Sources tell 3News that the accused shooter has a long juvenile criminal history.
18-year-old Jaion Bivins has been charged with obstruction and tampering with evidence. According to Akron Police Chief Deputy Jesse Lesser, Bivins and his attorney are cooperating with officers and he is expected to turn himself in.
The third suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Janisha George of Tallmadge. She faces a charge of obstruction of justice.
Lesser says police believe that all three suspects are currently within Summit County.
Akron police investigators meticulously followed a path of surveillance cameras to eventually ID both the driver and the suspect vehicle.
Police have recovered the black Camaro used in the shooting. It was found abandoned in Cleveland and now being checked for evidence.
You can watch the entire press conference in the player below:
Crawford,18, was shot several times near North Howard Street and West North Street Sunday just before 1:30 p.m. She was transported to Akron City Hospital where she later died.
According to Lesser, the shooting of Crawford looks to be a case of mistaken identity and she 'was in the wrong place at the wrong time.' There is no indication the suspects had any prior knowledge of the victim.
Nationally renowned attorney Ben Crump, the lead lawyer in the case of George Floyd, has been retained to represent the family of Crawford.
The news was announced in a press release Wednesday, with Crump saying:
"We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Akron Police Department. We are committed to making sure police devote the necessary time and resources to identify the killer and get justice for her family,” said Crump in a press release.
According to the New Yorker, Crump is the "go-to civil-rights attorney for families who have lost a loved one to police violence; he is often referred to as “the black Gloria Allred.”
While a memorial for 18-year-old Na'Kia Crawford continues to grow in the area of North Howard Street and West North Street, a Black Lives Matter mural is being painted on the street nearby.
