Akron man shot trying to protect his family, died in his father's arms

Emily Mills, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
Tha Soe, 24, of Akron, seen here with his young son in an undated family photo, was shot while trying to protect his family from two people trying to break into their North Hill home and died in his father's arms Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023.
Tha Soe, 24, of Akron, seen here with his young son in an undated family photo, was shot while trying to protect his family from two people trying to break into their North Hill home and died in his father's arms Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023.

A young Akron husband and father was shot while trying to protect his family from two people trying to break into their home and died in his father's arms, according to an online fundraiser for the man's family.

Tha Soe, 24, of Akron was shot while sitting in a vehicle parked in a driveway in the 700 block of Dayton Street in Akron's North Hill neighborhood around 12:10 a.m. Sunday, according to Akron police.

Soe was taken to Summa Akron City Hospital, where he died around 12:40 a.m. His cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest, and his manner of death was homicide, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office.

According to a GoFundMe fundraiser, Soe was visiting his parents and younger siblings after work on Saturday night when two people tried to break in to the family home.

The fundraiser says that Soe and his father confronted them and chased them off, then got in a car to follow them and get a description. When Soe opened the car door, he was shot multiple times, according to the fundraiser, which says he died a few minutes later in his father's arms.

Tha Soe shot and killed in North Hill:Two men shot and killed in separate incidents in Akron over the weekend

The fundraiser, titled "Tha Soe," has raised $3,807 of an $8,000 goal as of Wednesday morning, with the money being used for his funeral and to support his wife, almost 2-year-old son, parents and younger siblings.

Akron Police Lt. Michael Miller said the account of what happened included in the fundraiser is "largely accurate."

"We believe there was someone tampering with property/car, and the victim followed and later was confronted [and] shot as he exited his car," Miller said.

There haven't been any arrests in the case, but detectives are actively following up on leads, Miller said.

Anyone with information can call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP, the Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS, text TIPSCO with tips to 274637, download the Akron PD app and submit information by texting Tips411or by visit AkronCops.org. Those reporting information can remain anonymous.

The family also encouraged anyone with information to report it to the police, calling it a "terrible crime."

Contact Beacon Journal reporter Emily Mills at emills@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter @EmilyMills818.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Tha Soe shot and killed in Akron's North Hill protecting family