AKRON, Ohio — The family of Keion DeGrate is offering a substantial reward, alongside Summit County Crimestoppers, to find the person responsible for the 21-year-old’s fatal shooting in Akron.
It has been over two months since Keion, a Central State University sophomore, was killed while walking near Patterson Park on December 8, 2024. His mother, Zebulun DeGrate, is pleading for answers as the family copes with an unimaginable loss.
“You have it figured out until you don’t, and one day you wake up and your whole world is changed,” she said through tears during an emotional interview.
Keion was home from college when the shooting occurred in broad daylight near the park’s basketball and tennis courts. Akron police said someone fired multiple rounds from a high-powered rifle before an SUV sped away from the scene. The shooter has not been identified.
Zebulun recalled hearing gunshots from her home, a sound that filled her with an unexplainable dread. “Where we feel safe, you’re no longer safe. Are you serious? You can’t go to the park and come home?” she said.
The family is offering $6,500 to supplement the $5,000 reward from Summit County Crimestoppers for information leading to an arrest.
Keion was described as a kind-hearted peacemaker with a love for animals and music. A graduate of Archbishop Hoban High School, he participated in track, basketball, and football before attending college. His mother shared memories of his intelligence and curiosity, noting how he preferred watching the Weather Channel over cartoons as a child.
“I’ve been pleading with God and he won’t bring him back,” Zebulun said. “At least we should be able to have justice for him.”
Akron Police Captain Michael Miller urged anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward. “If you have a heart, someone knows something,” he said.
For now, the DeGrate family holds onto memories of Keion while hoping for justice. “I was supposed to go before him. There’s no way that this is supposed to be like this,” Zebulun said.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS.