Min. Dale Edwards Executive Director Call and Post
AKRON — Heartbreak and outrage echo through Highland Square after 25-year-old Tim Hutchinson was shot and killed early Sunday morning on October 5th — another young life lost to senseless gun violence.
The deadly shooting unfolded just after midnight on West Market Street, outside the neighborhood’s busy late-night district. Witnesses say crowds scattered in panic as gunfire erupted between two men, leaving Hutchinson caught in the crossfire.
Now, a shaken community is demanding change. City leaders have promised swift action — more police patrols, stricter parking enforcement, and new overnight restrictions aimed at curbing late-night chaos. The popular Chipotle lot will soon close after hours, and officials are fast-tracking plans for a Special Improvement District to bring better lighting, cameras, and private security to the Square.
“This has to stop,” said Hutchinson’s father, his voice breaking. “We can’t keep losing our sons on the same streets we grew up on.”
Residents and business owners say they welcome tighter security — but what they want most is peace. As candles flicker at a growing memorial on Market Street, the question hangs heavy: How many more lives must be lost before the violence ends?
