A woman yelled from the podium Tuesday evening inside Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church on East North Street, almost speaking in beat with music played from an electric piano and drumset.
"Dear Jesus, we ask you to bring them peace," the woman chanted multiple times. "When you can't think of nothing else, think of Jesus."
Shooting: Akron police shooting footage of Michael D. Jones shows struggle as U-Haul pulls away
In front of her stood Tiara Chavis. She blinked away tears as she put her arms around her children. At the same time, nearly two dozen people, including local pastors and clergy members, surrounded her in prayer.
These were the closing moments of a prayer vigil led by Pastor Otis Hankton meant to support Chavis and others in the family of Michael D. Jones , who was shot and killed by an Akron police officer on Aug. 17 during an investigation into a stolen U-Haul truck.
"I really felt the support tonight, and I'm truly grateful," said Chavis, who is Jones' daughter. "I believe we will get justice."
Akron pastors pray, sing in support of Michael D. Jones' family
Among those present were eight other local pastors, some of whom took to the podium to express their support of Chavis and her family through prayer, song or sermon.
After singing "My soul has been anchored in the Lord," Pastor Aulden Knight of Kings Chapel and Solid Rock Ministries described how he and the community feel her pain.
"We share each other's joys and each other's sorrows. When you hurt, we hurt," he said to Chavis. "I'm heartbroken for your loss."
House of Prayer for All People Church Pastor R. Stacey Jenkins told the crowd that change needs to come to Akron and policing before urging those present to call on the city to enact police reforms.
"There is a problem with a life being lost over an overdue U-Haul truck," Jenkins said. "This man's life is valuable."
Pastor Greg Harrison echoed Jenkins by referring to his time as an Akron police officer, which ended in the 1990s, before calling on people to pray for police officers to make change happen.
"It is not my right to be the judge, jury and executioner," he said. "Pray for the officers who stand by silently; for officers to come forward."
Pastor Otis Hankton talks about Tiara Chavis
After the vigil, Hankton said he had known Chavis for nearly seven years when she joined the church.
Hankton, who considers Chavis like his daughter, has seen her grow in her faith, and in recent weeks, she has leaned into that, he said.
"She has been a real daughter to me," Hankton said. "When you see your child go through something like this, it's hard and changes you."
He said he hosted the prayer vigil for her and her family, but also to remember Jones, who he said had just received the keys to his new home before the fatal shooting.
At the time of the shooting, he had been evicted and without a home for several weeks, Ward 9 Akron vouncil member Tina Boyes said Monday at a regular City Council meeting.
He used the U-Haul to store his belongings, she said.
The Akron Beacon Journal could not immediately confirm this information.
Department of Justice in contact with Jones' family attorney
Following the vigil, attorney Bobby DiCello, who is representing Chavis and her siblings in the matter, said the Department of Justice is looking into policing in Northeast Ohio but did not go into further detail.
"We're working very hard to organize a very thoughtful and impactful response about how law enforcement is treating people in Northeast Ohio," he said.
Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'I'm truly grateful': Prayer vigil held for family of man killed in Akron police shooting
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