The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive arrested 24-year-old Deshawn Stafford early Thursday morning in connection with a fatal shooting that happened in Highland Square on Oct. 5. He's the same man who was sentenced to 18 months in prison on an aggravated assault charge for his role in Ethan Liming's death.
Liming was an Akron high school student who died in 2023 from a head injury he sustained in a fight with Stafford and Stafford's brother, Tyler, who received six months in prison for misdemeanor assault.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Deshawn Stafford had an arrest warrant issued on charges of murder, felonious assault, having weapons while under disability and discharging a firearm on a public roadway.
Akron detectives and members of the task force located Stafford in a home in the 200 block of Crosby Street in Akron on Thursday morning. Police took Stafford into custody shortly after he refused to open the door.
The charges stem from the Oct. 5 shooting in Highland Square that left innocent bystander Timothy Hutchinson, 25, dead after he was hit in crossfire. Investigators accuse Stafford of shooting at another man, who they say shot back at Stafford and hit Hutchinson in the crossfire. The other suspect in the Highland Square shooting is in custody on unrelated charges.
"Timothy Hutchinson is just a terrible tragedy that he lost his life when he wasn't involved in anything at all and really was just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of these two individuals," said Lt. Michael Murphy, Akron Police Department
Murphy said Stafford was back in Akron after serving his full prison sentence from the Liming case.
"Making this arrest today, it's a significant arrest for us because we're able to take a dangerous individual off the streets of Akron and make our community safer and really at the same time help to bring some justice to the family of Timothy Hutchinson," Murphy said.
The shooting sparked outrage in the neighborhood and reignited a conversation about increased security in the neighborhood.
RELATED: Homicide in Akron's Highland Square leads to push for security enhancements in business district
Hutchinson, a Wooster native, had just graduated from the University of Akron in the spring.
Watch Bob Jones's interview with his father:
READ MORE: Father left heartbroken after son caught in crossfire, killed
“The tragic death of Timothy Hutchinson is a terrible reminder the danger and devastation illegal firearms in the hands of criminals bring to a community. We are grateful for the dedicated and diligent work of the Akron Police Department in investigating this case and bringing these criminals to justice,” U.S. Marshal Pete Eliott said.
The Liming case
In summer 2022, Liming died from a head injury during a fight with the brothers after he and his friends shot gel pellets at them from a toy gun while they played basketball outside the I Promise school in Akron.
The brothers claimed self-defense under Ohio's Stand Your Ground law. According to police, two of Liming's friends got out of Ethan's car and used an Orbeez toy gun to shoot gel pellets at the basketball players, including the brothers. Police said as the fight continued, Liming was punched, fell and hit his head on the pavement, which caused his death, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner.
In September 2023, a jury found Deshawn Stafford guilty of assault and aggravated assault and Tyler Stafford guilty of assault after deliberating for two days. They were found not guilty of one count of involuntary manslaughter.
Watch their sentencing:
READ MORE: 2 brothers receive maximum sentences for assault charges in connection with Ethan Liming's death
The jury was unable to reach a verdict on another involuntary manslaughter charge against Deshawn Stafford; a mistrial was declared for that charge.
