Teen who was shot by Akron police officer faces misdemeanor charge over fake gun

The city of Akron has filed a fake weapons charge against the 15-year-old who was shot in his hand April 1 by an officer responding to a non-emergency call about a person pointing a gun at homes in Goodyear Heights.

Capt. Michael Miller, the department's public information officer, said the teen faces one count of facsimile firearms — a first-degree misdemeanor charge.

The teen was identified by his attorney last week as Tavion Koonce-Williams during a family news conference condemning the shooting.

The attorney, Imokhai Okolo, issued the following statement about the charge via email:

"The actions taken by the City of Akron and the Akron Police Department are Unconscionable. It is not a crime to have a toy gun. It is not a crime to be a 15 year old playing with toys. It is not a crime to be a Black kid in Akron Ohio doing what kids do. Too often we see this city using their law department to weaponize criminal charges against Black youth in an attempt to avoid civil liability and shield themselves from political backlash. It’s disgusting, unethical, and wrong. Our community deserves better."

A spokesman for Summit County Juvenile Court could not be reached for information about the hearing schedule.

Tavion was shot within seconds after police officer Ryan Westlake pulled up nearby in his cruiser on Brittain Road and ordered him to drop what turned out to be a toy gun.

Westlake has had a tumultuous history with the department, at one point nearly losing his job after allegedly threatening to kill his girlfriend and her father. At the time, then-Mayor Dan Horrigan's administration wrote that Westlake was unfit to be a police officer.

Okolo has called on the city and the Akron Police Department to take several steps in response to the shooting, including immediately firing Westlake.

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Misdemeanor charge filed against teen who was shot by Akron officer