Shots fired near Akron pee-wee football game; coach helped police catch suspect

AKRON, Ohio (WJW) – A local football coach is being hailed a hero after helping police arrest an armed teenager.

“We start out practice, my 6 and 7-year-olds run the perimeter. They learn discipline, how to communicate. How to be held accountable. The foundations of life and it starts at this age,” said coach Khai Shelton.

However, Akron South’s pee-wee football team learned some hard life lessons after shots were fired near their football game Saturday night.

Shelton said he noticed a group of teens fighting in the parking lot around 5 p.m. near the Erie Island Ballfield.

“I look over and I start to walk in the direction, and then I hear the shots. So I’m looking at the guy with the gun in his hand and shoot it,” said Shelton.

Shelton said the crowd scattered, and so did the alleged shooter.

At the same time, an Akron police officer working security for the game called for backup and rushed toward the suspect.

“I saw APD at the top of the entrance, but me and him are right here. He’s jumping fences so I start jumping the fences and chasing him,” said Shelton.

Police say the juvenile ran about a block away from the ballpark, climbed up a fence and ran into someone’s backyard.

That’s where he was taken into custody and later charged with carrying a concealed weapon and inducing panic.

The teen is booked at the Summit County Juvenile Detention Facility.

“We salute the coach for that bravery. The way he embraced his community by inserting himself into a real time situation,” said Capt. Mike Miller with Akron police.

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