Akron Police are investigating two separate shootings that took place late Tuesday night.

The first shooting occurred on Cole Avenue around 10:30 when Lemuel King and Larry Clark told Akron Police they were walking down the street when shots were fired in their direction.

 Both men were struck in the leg. They were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Both King and Clark were unable to give a description of the suspect.

The second shooting occurred over on Rosamond Avenue on the city's west side.

Roughly around 10:30 Tuesday night, Rayshawene McMullen reported to police he was sitting in a car when he was approached by four men.

One of the men allegedly opened fire into the car, hitting McMulllen in the right hand.He was taken to Akron General Medical Center where his injuries also do not appear to be life threatening.

Police describe the suspect as a black man between 18 – 22 years old, standing  5’09” – 6’0” tall, and weighing 140 – 160 lbs.

Anyone with information on either shooting is asked to contact Akron Police. 

The City of Akron will be receiving federal funds to hire 12 recently-returned military veterans as new law enforcement officers.

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic says this grant provides the city an opportunity to hire qualified individuals when numbers are down.

"We're trying to make the best of this situation and get more officers out on the street and less of them sitting in the offices," Plusquellic stated.

"We'll do everything we can to make this grant work for us and hire officers as best we can despite the budget restrictions we have."

The U.S Department of Justice awarded the city $1.5 million to hire the would-be officers.

City Council President Marco Sommerville says the money will put more officers on the street to help combat the violence that has been plaguing Akron in recent months.

City Council President Marco Sommerville and Mayor Don Plusquellic by Akron NewsNow

Both President Sommerville and Mayor Plusquellic thanked US. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) for his efforts in securing the grant to keep Akron's streets safer.

"We're trying to increase the number of policemen and women on the street and this is the first wave of doing that."

Sommerville says that whenever you hire a veteran, you will be getting someone who is accountable and prepared for all types of situations.

"These are individuals that will be ready to serve as police officers," Sommerville stated.

"They already have knowledge of firearms, conflict control and these are the types of people you need in your police department, and so we're very excited about this happening."

Through the "Vets to COPS" program, requires that new officers hired under the grant must be veterans that served in active duty for at least 180 days, any part of which occurred on or after September 11, 2001.

Plusquellic said hiring veterans  was a plus for the APD.

"I'm happy that we have an opportunity to give at least 12 people the recognition and the opportunity to have a full-time career here."

The newly-aquired funds will provide 75 percent of the funding for salaries and benefits for three years  for newly-hired, full-time sworn officer positions, or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off in the future.

 

Akron Police are investigating a shooting on the city's east side.

Shortly before 6:00am Tuesday morning, officers were called to Massillon Road where 25-year old Antony Pruett of Barberton was struck by a bullet in the leg after a fistfight in the parking lot with a friend over the keys to his car.

 Pruett told police he was trying to get his friends car keys to prevent him from driving  while intoxicated.

During the fight, they were confronted by another man, who pulled out a handgun and fired a shot after arguing with Pruett and his friend. Pruett was hit in the right leg and transported to a local hospital.

 His injuries do not appear to be life threatening.

The alleged shooter took off on foot. He is described as  a dark complexioned, black male, 25 – 30 years old, 5’07” – 5’09”, 175 lbs., wearing black pants and a white tank top during the time of the incident.

 Anyone with information is asked to contact Akron Police. 
 

Police are investigating a robbery that occurred late Monday night at an Akron gas station.

Around 11:00 Monday night, the Marathon on East Avenue was allegedly robbed by a pair of individuals.

The clerk told police two men armed with handguns, entered the store and robbed him of cigarettes and cash. One of the men allegedly took the wallet of the clerk's husband in the parking lot.

Both men took off with an unreported amount of money and cigarettes.

A vague description is given for both men, saying that they are two black males between 5'10'' and 6 feet tall. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact Akron Police.

Akron Police are looking for a group of men allegedly offering  a bogus tree cutting service.

The APD is saying these men are targeting the elderly, charging $450 for cutting tree branches, but they don't complete the job.

Within the last few days on LaBelle Aveune on the city's west side, an elderly woman was approached by a group of men offering the tree service.

Police say the men start cutting the branches and leave a mess in the victim's yard before leaving.

The suspects are described as five white men driving around the west side of Akron in a red mini-van with a sign for "Mighty Tree Service."

If anyone sees these men or their vehicle, call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau.

More shots were fired in Akron's west side this weekend.

Officers were called to an area near Zahn Drive and Thurmont Street around 5a.m. Saturday morning. There were no indications of property damage or those who who reported being shot.

Later that morning, around  9:00a.m. police came to the 400 block of Zahn Drive where an apartment had a front window shot out during the night.

After a search of the apartment; however, no one was home. Officers reported the damage and found some shell casings in the parking lot.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Akron Police Department.
 

Police arrested three young men in connection with a break-in on the city's east side.

At around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers arrested the three after neighbors called police to say they witnessed several indviduals break out a south side window and climb into the neighbor’s house.

Police say the trio was seen allegedly carrying a television from the house and jumped into a getaway car.  As officers arrived on scene, the suspects ran from the SUV and were arrested after a brief foot chase.

After officers recovered the property, 18-year-old Dante Walker and two 15-year olds were arrested.

Walker was charged with two counts of burglary and one count of obstructing official business and booked into the Summit County Jail. The juveniles were placed into the custody of the Summit County Juvenile Courts.