'We need answers': Akron woman condemns gun violence after stepson dies in mass shooting

LaTeris Cook, 27, was likely in the wrong place and at the wrong time when an unknown vehicle pulled up shortly after midnight Sunday and opened fire on a party of nearly 200 people in Akron.

The mass shooting, which police believe included return fire from partygoers, resulted in two dozen people being wounded.

Cook was pronounced dead when he reached the hospital, his stepmother Kalandra McDowell said Monday, recalling what she knew from the incident.

"He was on his way to a party. I'm not sure if it was that big party, but he was on his way to one," she said.

McDowell and her wife, Terri McDowell, are urging anyone with information on the shooting to come forward. Akron officials are also asking for assistance with finding the suspect responsible for Sunday morning's mass shooting.

"The point is, he's not here anymore," she said. "We would like for someone to do something. We need answers."

Akron police search for suspects after mass shooting

Cook was one of 25 people who were shot during a celebration at Kelly and 8th avenues just after midnight on Sunday morning. Victims were treated at various hospitals in the area. The vast majority of the victims had non-life-threatening injuries, while two were listed in critical condition as of Sunday evening.

Hours before the shooting, Akron police were called to the scene to disperse the large gathering of more than 100 people. Some partygoers left, but crowds had swelled around midnight at the time of the shootings.

Dozens of shell casings were found at the scene. Authorities believe the shooting started when a car with unknown occupants drove up to the party and began firing at the crowd. Some partygoers may have fired back.

There have been no arrests related to this shooting as of late Monday afternoon. An investigation is ongoing.

Summit County Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest. The U.S. Marshals Office is offering $7,500 and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives offered a reward of $10,000, bringing the total to $22,500.

Residents can help investigators anonymously by calling the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490, Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS or texting your tips to TIPSCO at 274637.

LaTeris Cook remembered as man who 'lived his life out loud'

McDowell knew Cook his entire life. From a young age, he was boisterous. She described him as someone who "lived his life out loud" and was "the life of the party."

This love of life extended to his family, an aspect of his life he took seriously. With two kids ages 11 and 3 and a third on the way, he often put his kids first, she said.

She described how he recently threw a hotel pool birthday party for his 11-year-old and would try to give them a birthday to remember.

Cook's favorite color was blue, so she painted her nails blue and wore blue shoes. It's a small but significant way to remember her stepson, McDowell said.

"It's the small things I'll miss the most," she said. "No kid is perfect. He was ours, and we loved him."

'We are not target practice': Stepmother calls for end to gun violence

Although McDowell and her family members are still coming to terms with Cook's death, she said there are other families from this shooting that have experienced loss.

"They still got criticals," she said, referring to two people who remain in critical condition after the mass shooting. "(The families) took a loss. You cannot heal a broken heart."

McDowell urged the wider Akron community to stop this violence, saying residents should feel safe when they gather for parties like the one held over the weekend in East Akron.

"We are not target practice," she said.

Recognizing that some might not want to talk to investigators, McDowell said anyone with information could reach out to her on Facebook.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be found at [email protected], or on Twitter @athompsonABJ

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron woman condemns gun violence after stepson dies in mass shooting