Police said multiple shots were fired near Lawton Street Community Center, leaving both teenagers with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
AKRON, OH — Two 15-year-old boys were wounded Thursday evening after gunfire erupted as a large group of juveniles gathered near an Akron community center to watch a fight, police said.
Akron police responded to the 900 block of Hartford Avenue just before 7 p.m. Sept. 17 after receiving reports of a shooting. Officers found both teenagers suffering from gunshot wounds. One boy had been shot in the chest, while the other was struck in the upper left leg, according to police.
Officers provided medical assistance until paramedics arrived. Both teenagers were taken to Akron Children’s Hospital with injuries that police said were believed to be non-life-threatening. Authorities have not publicly identified the boys.
Police said their preliminary investigation found that a large group of juveniles had gathered near the Lawton Street Community Center to watch a fight. As the fight moved toward Hartford Avenue and Little Street, multiple shots were fired and the crowd dispersed.
Detectives interviewed witnesses and collected evidence from the scene as investigators worked to determine who fired the shots and what led to the gunfire. Police had not announced any arrests or identified any suspects as of the latest available update.
Akron police Lt. Michael Murphy told the Akron Beacon Journal that investigators were still in the early stages of the case after the shooting. He said detectives and crime scene personnel began their work Thursday night and that police had no suspects or arrests at that point.
The Akron Police Department’s JAM Unit and Crime Scene Unit responded as part of the investigation, according to local reporting citing police. Investigators have not released a suspect description or said whether either wounded teenager was involved in the fight that drew the crowd.
Authorities also have not released a suspected motive for the shooting or said whether the gunfire was directed at specific people. The available police account states that multiple shots were fired as the crowd was gathered in the area.
The shooting remains under investigation. Akron police are seeking information from witnesses as detectives continue reviewing evidence and working to identify whoever was responsible for the gunfire.
Author note: Last updated September 19, 2026.