After being hit with six homicides since July 5, Akron's mayor and police chief called on the community to help end the violence that has rocked the Rubber City.
"We are not going to tolerate the kind of victimization that this is creating in our city and in our communities," Police Chief Ken Ball said.
The latest murder happened around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. Ty-Ron Phelps' mother said her 13-year-old son was hanging out with friends when he was shot and killed near the intersection of Noah Avenue and Copley Road.
"I will never forget this," Shalonda Phelps said. "I'm hurt, I'm in pain, I don't know if I'm coming or going. This has to stop. It has to stop."
Behind Phelps stood a makeshift memorial at the scene of the attack, which also wounded a 13-year-old and 19-year-old.
"Nobody's safe," Phelps said. "Nobody's safe."
Akron's police chief said the department has already increased patrols in neighborhoods where the shootings happened. He's also hoping violent, repeat offenders will face federal charges, which often come with longer prison sentences.
But Ball said police can't stop the violence alone.
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"If you are a parent and your son has on his Facebook page a picture of him holding a firearm, or if that 13-year-old is throwing up gang signs, these are indicators that you are going to be in trouble, that that kid is going to be in trouble," Ball said. "We need to start addressing these issues at that point in the future to have a significant impact on this."
Despite the recent spike in violence, which saw nine shootings in Akron between July 5 and July 8, the chief said the number of murders in the city is below the total from 2017 through the same time period.
However, Akron's 42 homicides last year was the highest number in decades.
Investigators said they're still searching for a motive and gunman in the shooting that killed Phelps.
