Crime in Akron, Ohio
There have been a few conspicuous instances of crime in the American city of
First police patrol wagon
Frank Fowler Loomis designed and built the world's first motorized paddy wagon. The electric wagon made its appearance on the streets of Akron in 1899.[1]
Riot of 1900
On August 22, 1900, Akron experienced its worst riot in history, and possibly the worst riot in Ohio history. This followed the abduction and sexual assault on the six-year-old daughter of the Maas family while in front of her home. Around midnight that day, Louis Peck, an African-American who had been working as a bartender on Howard Street in Akron, was arrested at a train station in
Extortion racket
Akron was one of the first
Wooster Avenue riots of 1968
In July 1968, several riots occurred over the span of several days centered in the city's mostly black populated Wooster Avenue/Edgewood Avenue area. Relations between citizens and the Akron Police Department (APD) were already poor when on July 16, APD officers were called to quell fights in the area between black gangs from the city's north and west sides. Although initially quelled, the gang members continued a running fight with one another and the APD well into the morning. The police department reinforced their patrols in the area and imposed a curfew. The next day many residents of the area gathered on Wooster Avenue, having heard rumors of excessive violence on the part of the APD. The black citizens began berating and challenging the APD officers. With the first arrests of some of the citizens, the level of confrontation and hostilities rose until a full-scale riot was in progress. Most local citizens retreated to their homes or left the area altogether.
The riot spread to downtown Akron, and later that evening the National Guard was mobilized. On the morning of the 18th, Captain Al Monzo and his officers used tear gas in the area, and this ended the riot, although it was not officially regarded as over until the 23rd. The National Guard helped APD clean up the area and ensured that it remained under control. While occupying Akron the guardsmen camped inside the Rubber Bowl stadium.[6] The Mayor of Akron, John S. Ballard, quickly called for an independent investigative commission to detail the events of the riot, and to investigate the root causes of it, and such a commission was appointed on the 26th.[7]
See also
References
- ^ "City of Akron: News Releases 2009: State of the City Presentation". Ci.akron.oh.us. 2009-02-24. Archived from the original on 2009-03-07. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ "The Riot of 1900". History of Akron. City of Akron. September 1, 2006. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ "www.akronhistory.org/doyle_riot.htm". Archived from the original on 2009-01-16.
- ^ "Officer Guy Norris", Officer Down Memorial Page.
- ISBN 0-306-80535-9. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
- ^ "Akron Riot 1968 - Rubber Bowl". summitmemory.org. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
- ^ "The Report of The AKRON COMMISSION ON CIVIL DISORDERS" (PDF). akronlibrary.org. April 16, 1969. Retrieved 2022-11-20.