Akron police release new video of officer-involved shooting last month in Kenmore

Eric Marotta, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
An officer-worn camera shot shows outside the scene of a Dec. 23 officer-involved shooting. A police dog can be seen in the foreground.
An officer-worn camera shot shows outside the scene of a Dec. 23 officer-involved shooting. A police dog can be seen in the foreground.

The Akron Police Department has released additional officer-worn camera video from a Dec. 23 domestic violence incident that resulted in a fatal shooting.

In the incident, James W. Gross, 58, reportedly forced his way into a home in the 2400 block of 26th Street Southwest in Akron's Kenmore neighborhood. Police shot him as he was apparently threatening his estranged wife with a knife.

More: Akron police bodycam video shows suspect holding woman at knifepoint before he's shot dead

More: Video footage of Dec. 23 incident

More: Audio of 911 call from Dec. 23 incident

In releasing the latest video, police Lt. Michael Miller said the incident remains under investigation and that the release is designed to "not only provide additional context surrounding the incident, but also to enhance transparency and public trust."

The 6½-minute video is a compilation of footage from five officers who responded and is in addition to video and a recording of the 911 call police released three weeks ago. The initial release includes video from three lead officers in the incident. The new videos do not clearly show the actual shooting.

Police tape surrounds the scene after an officer-involved shooting Dec. 23 in the 2400 block of 26th Street Southwest in Akron's Kenmore neighborhood.
Police tape surrounds the scene after an officer-involved shooting Dec. 23 in the 2400 block of 26th Street Southwest in Akron's Kenmore neighborhood.

The incident occurred shortly before 4 a.m. Dec. 23 after officers responding to a 911 call made their way into the home. A dispatcher speaking with a woman told officers Gross had broken into an upstairs bedroom and had a knife.

More: He broke my door open.' 911 call reveals tense moments before Akron police shot man with knife

Call logs show officers have responded to the location a dozen times in the past two years for domestic violence incidents and fights. Before her door was kicked open, the woman told the 911 dispatcher she had a restraining order and that this was at least the seventh incident involving her husband.

The new video is from officers trailing the lead officers as the group enters the home, as well as footage from two other officers, one with a police dog and another who secured the rear of the property.

In June, Akron City Council passed a law requiring police videos in cases involving use of deadly force to be posted online within seven days for the public to view. The incident two days before Christmas was the first test of the new law, and the video was posted in December just before the deadline.

The videos and 911 recording are posted on akroncops.org under its APD Critical Incident Videos link, where users can view it on the Akron Police Department's YouTube Page.

More: Akron law would require police to automatically post deadly force video within seven days

Eric Marotta can be reached at 330-541-9433, or emarotta@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron police release new video of officer-involved shooting