4-year-old girl, man killed after gunfire erupted in Akron, Ohio

A 4-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man were killed in a shooting during a “celebratory gathering” in Akron, Ohio, on Friday night, police said. 

The victims, who were not identified, were taken to a nearby hospital Friday night, where they died. The medical examiner will perform autopsies to determine their causes of death, police said.

Authorities responded to a residence in Akron around 9:15 p.m. Friday and found what they described as “a chaotic scene” with victims who were both “severely injured and sustaining gunshot wounds.” Police said that a suspect or suspects had fired into a crowd during a “celebratory gathering” in a nearby parking lot.

It is not clear exactly how many people were injured or how many were taken to the hospital.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP.

The city has seen a spike in protests as well as violence in the wake of Jayland Walker’s death several weeks ago.

On June 27, Walker was shot more than 60 times by police after an attempted traffic stop. Authorities said an officer reported a gunshot being fired from the 25-year-old’s car.

His killing has led to protests and chaos across the Ohio city. On Wednesday, relatives of Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake — two other high-profile victims of police shootings — were detained during the demonstrations.

Walker’s family has called for calm in the city.