Akron Mayor Shammas Malik says the city is introducing additional safety measures at the core of the Highland Square neighborhood following a shooting early Oct. 5 that took the life of a 25-year-old man.
Police said Timothy Hutchinson was struck in the head by the cross fire between men two people during a foot chase along West Market Street. Investigators have obtained video of the incident and are working to identify suspects, an Akron Police Department spokesman said.
The heart of Highland Square is an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, bars and a movie theater that make up one of the city’s busiest stretches for nightlife. But the neighborhood, which is also known for packing in thousands of people each summer at the PorchRokr music festival, has struggled to rein in large and raucous gatherings that last into the early morning hours — especially during the year’s warmer months.
Hutchinson was struck on a Sunday around 12:25 p.m., as crowds mingling outside were enjoying summerlike weather.
Residents of Ward 1 have voiced concerns about neighborhood safety arising from the Highland Square scene for several years, and officials have tried to help curtail noisy parties and illegal activities by imposing parking restrictions at a city-owned lot near the shooting site where many of the gatherings took place.
Here’s what Mayor Shammas Malik, Highland Square residents discussed
Malik said in an Oct. 9 Facebook post that city officials met the previous evening with Ward 1 to discuss a plan to futher shield Highland Square residents and visitors from harm and disturbances.
Steps include:
Just this summer, APD and the Economic Development Department worked with the owner of the Highland Square Walgreens to tow away cars illegally parked in that lot late at night. In addtion the city has worked to ensure that its lot, which is accessed off West Market between Chipotle and an Akron-Summit County Public Library branch. is consistently gated after hours and monitored by Akron police.
What happened on Sunday, Oct. 5?
Officers responded around 12:25 a.m. to the 800 block of West Market Street after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they found Hutchinson with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators believe the he was unintentionally struck during an exchange of gunfire. Detectives from the Major Crimes and Crime Scene units are interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Mayor Shammas Malik announces new Highland Square safety measures after shooting
Reporting by Alisson Toro-Lagos, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
