Akron Metro addresses May 18 safety incident

AKRON — METRO has extended their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim who died due to the incident on the #14 bus while parked at the Robert K. Pfaff (RKP) Transit Center on May 18 at 5 p.m. The victim was rushed to the hospital but unfortunately did not survive.

According to the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office, the 21-year-old victim, William L. Howell II, died of multiple gunshot wounds about two hours after the shooting.

No other persons were injured physically, and METRO's security team quickly captured the shooter. Two people were originally brought into custody, although one was later released.

The suspect, Kavon Jackson, 17, has been charged with aggravated murder.

METRO stated that they are fully cooperating with The Akron Police Department (APD) to help them provide the evidence and materials to aid them in this ongoing investigation.

In a statement, METRO also extended its appreciation to the APD and hopes that they can "continue to support each other to create safe spaces for their team and community members".

Although the incident resulted in service delays, the team members were able to restore services quickly. METRO considered the incident as isolated and asserted that their buses and properties are safe.

METRO team commented that they would continue to assess and strengthen the safety and security measures, not only onboard vehicles but also on their properties. They will add additional law enforcement presence at the RKP Transit Center for extra security and safety. They also claimed that they are in the process of expanding the Transit Police Department.

Security Incident Update: On 5/18 at approx. 5 pm, a man was shot multiple times on the #14 bus while it was parked at the RKP Transit Center. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition, but did not survive. We extend our sympathies to the victim’s family & friends.

— Akron METRO RTA (@AkronMETROBus) May 19, 2021