Temporary safety measures are coming to Akron鈥檚 Highland Square neighborhood following a shooting over the weekend, including early closures of businesses and parking lots beginning Friday night.
Akron police are investigating the June 7 shooting that left three bystanders injured, including one critically. A 26-year-old man remains hospitalized but is expected to recover, Police Chief Brian Harding said in a Thursday news conference.
Two other victims have been treated and released from the hospital, he said. No arrests have been made, but police released surveillance photos from the scene, asking for the public's help in identifying persons of interest.
The shooting occurred in the neighborhood鈥檚 nightlife district, despite police officers already being about 50 yards away for a separate incident, Harding said. Officers were dealing with a fight between two women when three unidentified men exchanged gunfire in a parking lot nearby.
Detectives collected 18 shell casings from the scene, Harding said.
This weekend, all bars in the district except Highland Tavern will voluntarily close at midnight, Chief of Public Safety Craig Morgan said. The city will also close a parking lot it owns behind Chipotle, where he said overcrowding consistently occurs, starting at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
鈥淲e are collectively aiming to discourage the crowd from forming and engage in targeted enforcement for this type of activity,鈥� Morgan said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a forever decision. We will evaluate it on an ongoing basis, but we will not tolerate violence.鈥�
Highland Tavern, which refused to close early, is adding to the overcrowding and crime concerns, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said.
鈥淔or them not to be willing to do this for one weekend 鈥� for one weekend 鈥� to help us get things under control, I think it tells you everything you need to know about their priorities,鈥� Malik said.
The city temporarily shut down the bar for violating capacity rules last month, he said. Crowds often gather outside the bar and take their drinks outside, Malik added.
鈥淲hat we鈥檝e seen repeatedly from Highland Tavern is flouting rules," Malik said. "We鈥檝e seen them routinely over capacity, advertising large events. When you鈥檙e attracting so many people 鈥� that is a recipe for violence, and it has been, again, and again and again.鈥�
Malik added that the city鈥檚 law department is evaluating 鈥渆very possible option鈥� to take legal action against the bar, including shutting it down.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to make sure we鈥檙e acting within the bounds of the law,鈥� Malik said. 鈥淥ur law department has been working on public nuisance and seeing what facts are present and what the consequences could be.鈥�
精东影业's attempts to contact Highland Tavern for comment were unsuccessful.
This weekend鈥檚 test part of ongoing safety measures
Thursday鈥檚 announcement is the latest in the city鈥檚 attempts to curb crime and other issues in the area over the past year, including a shooting that killed 25-year-old Timothy Hutchinson. Fights and overcrowding have also been a problem, according to public safety officials.
There has been a pattern of dozens of young people gathering on the sidewalks and parking lots, drinking out of open containers on the weekends, Morgan said.
The city established a Special Improvement District for the area, a process in which property owners pay an assessment to fund projects in the neighborhood. Services could include additional security, beautification and litter pick-up, city officials said.
Since April, the police department has provided extra staffing on Fridays and Saturdays and concrete barriers were placed on the sides of the road to deter people from gathering, Malik said.
But there is only so much city officials and police officers can do to improve the problem, Malik said.
鈥淲e cannot arrest ourselves out of a society where people are going to settle disputes using guns,鈥� Malik said. 鈥淲e cannot post an officer on every single corner where people are gathering in our community.鈥�
Councilmember Fran Wilson, who represents the neighborhood, encouraged people to become more connected in their local community.
鈥淚f you see a friend or a neighbor who is doing something that is not OK or not safe, check them,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淕et involved in your neighborhood. There is so much going on in this lovely neighborhood, but I鈥檓 asking everyone to step in a little closer.
Akron officials will hold another press conference on Friday to announce details on a new violence prevention pilot program, Malik added.
