Police Provide New Details Related to the Death of a 17-Year-Old Beaten to Death Outside of I Promise School
Ben Axelrod et al., WKYC, June 8, 2022
On Wednesday, the Akron Police Department provided an update on the 17-year-old boy who was beaten to death outside of the I Promise School last week in what was described as a ‘senseless act of violence.’
“This incident is yet another senseless loss of human life in Akron,” said Akron Chief of Police Stephen Mylett. “Ethan Liming did not deserve to lose his life on Saturday evening. {snip}”
Ethan Liming
The update came less than a week after Liming, a rising senior at Firestone Community Center, was found near the basketball courts at the I Promise School, located at 400 West Market Street. According to a preliminary investigation, Liming was with a group of friends who pulled into the school parking lot. Upon arriving, Liming and his friends became involved in a fight with at least three other males who were already playing basketball at the property. During the incident, he was knocked unconscious and brutally assaulted.
In the press conference, the Akron Police Department said around 10:40 p.m. on Thursday night, four 17-year-olds went to the parking lot of the I Promise School near the basketball court.
Two of the four juveniles began discharging a SplatRBall gun at four individuals playing basketball, which led to an altercation among them.
“My son died because of a toy. And just goofing around as a teenager,” Liming’s father Bill told 3News.
Investigators do not believe that the attack or homicide was justified or racially motivated.
At this time, none of the names of the suspects have been released, and the investigation is ongoing.
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Liming’s father, Bill, said his family is “forever broken” over Ethan’s death. He is asking anyone with information to come forward so his family can have answers in the death of his son.
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Bill, a minister, said Ethan was a fiercely loyal friend and impressive student, who also played baseball and football. {snip}
Any parents’ worst nightmare, Bill got the call about his son in the middle of the night. Police first went to Ethan’s mother’s house, who then called Bill.
“I’ve not really slept since that moment,” he said. “It was about two in the morning Friday morning. I can’t sleep, I can’t do anything.”
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On Friday afternoon, LeBron James and the LeBron James Family Foundation — which operates the I Promise School in partnership with Akron Public Schools — expressed their condolences via Twitter.
