[Fox8] Mayor Shammas Malik
on Friday announced the cancellation of all large events on public property in the city set for Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16, due to “safety concerns” posed by several city council members.
It’s been nearly two weeks since a mass shooting during a birthday party near the intersection of Kelly and 8th avenues killed one person and injured 27 others. At least 45 shots from five different weapons were fired. No arrests have been made.
Malik said eight council members, some of whom represent wards where Juneteenth-related events were set for the coming weekend, signed and emailed a letter to him on Friday afternoon, referencing the June 2 shooting and calling it “irresponsible” to allow Juneteenth events to continue this weekend.
“When I get a letter like that, I take it seriously,” Malik said at a hastily called media briefing on Friday evening. “Despite the deference to our city council members, in this instance, there is no credible threat to this weekend’s Juneteenth events.”
The letter, which you can read below, was signed by Council President Johnnie Hannah, Ward 5; Vice President Jeff Fusco, at-large; and Councilmembers Margo Sommerville, Ward 3; Brad McKitrick, Ward 6; Sharon Connor, Ward 10; Sam DeShazior, Ward 1; Phil Lombardo, Ward 2; and Jan Davis, Ward 4.
Less than two hours before a scheduled concert on Friday in Akron’s Lock 3 park, the mayor announced the park would be closed and that the concert would be canceled.
Shammas Iqbal Qammar Malik was born and raised in Ward 8, Northwest Akron, Ohio in a Muslim family.[1][2] He is Pakistani and White.[3] His mother, Helen Qammar, was a chemical engineering professor at the University of Akron.[1] Brandon Choi is an uncle-in-law. In 2009, he graduated from Firestone High School with an International Baccalaureate Diploma.[4] He earned dual bachelor's degrees in political science and international studies from the Ohio State University in 2013.[4] Malik completed a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2016.[1] During law school, he completed several summer internships in Washington, D.C., including at The Pentagon. |