AKRON

masks aboard its buses

Metro RTA, Summit County’s bus system said Monday that customers and employees must wear face masks beginning Wednesday to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Face coverings “are mandatory for Metro employees and passengers,” Metro said in a news release.

The new rule applies to all customers, ages 2 and up, Metro said.

“No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service,” the transit authority said.

Stark County Regional Transit Authority earlier this month said it would require customers to wear masks, and quickly said anyone riding a bus is “strongly encouraged” to wear a mask.

The CDC has recommended wearing cloth face coverings in public areas where it’s hard to maintain social distancing.

Last week, Metro said a bus driver had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Police investigating

two shooting incidents

Akron police are investigating two shootings between Friday night and Monday morning.

Around 7:45 p.m. Friday, officers were were flagged down at East Exchange Street and Beaver Street by a driver who reported his passenger, a 33-year-old man, was shot in the chest while involved in a fight. The man was taken to Summa Akron City Hospital with non-life-threatening wounds.

Police said the shooting followed a traffic crash somewhere in the area of Baird Street and McKinley Avenue, two roads that run parallel a block apart in East Akron. Investigators believe the shooting occurred in the 900 block of McKinley Avenue. Police are still trying to determine the motive and identify suspects.

Another shooting occurred early Monday in the 1100 block of Arnold Avenue in Goodyear Heights. Officers arrived on the scene just after 2 a.m. as a 24-year-old man was being taken by a private vehicle to Summa Akron City Hospital. Police said he suffered a gunshot wound to the neck.

The man remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Suspect arrested after

cars stolen from dealer

Akron police are investigating after a dozen or more cars were stolen from a dealership Friday night in the city’s Middlebury neighborhood.

Police said Empire Auto Mall in the 900 block of East Exchange Street, was broken into overnight Friday and several keys were stolen. It is believed that one or more suspects returned throughout the night and took the vehicles, police said.

Michael Sills, 26, of Akron, was arrested by police at around 2 p.m. Saturday after a detective spotted him driving one of the stolen vehicles, police said. He was charged with receiving stolen property, and released with a summons to appear in court.

Police said 10 stolen cars were recovered by Saturday afternoon.

Several thefts reported

across city over weekend

Akron police are investigating the theft of several arcade machines from a party rental hall in the city’s Chapel Hill area as well as burglaries at two Family Dollar stores and a community gardening nonprofit.

Officers responded just before 8:30 a.m. Friday morning to C Daddy Enterprises on East Tallmadge Avenue.

The owner told police someone broke into the business overnight and stole an unknown number of arcade-style video games.

Officers responded to the first Family Dollar break-in about 1 a.m. Sunday in the 1400 block of South Arlington Street in Firestone Park. Police said someone threw a rock to shatter the glass front door and stole cigarettes from the store.

About 30 minutes later, officers responded to the 500 block of East Cuyahoga Falls Avenue in North Hill for another Family Dollar that was broken into the same way.

Police made an arrests in a separate theft Sunday afternoon. Police said an officer saw Lea Beatty, 39, carrying a tool bag out of a shed owned by Let’s Grow Akron, near Adolph Avenue and Ewing Court in the University Park neighborhood.

He was charged with breaking and entering and possession of drug abuse instruments. Police said he was released with a summons to appear in court.

Drug, weapons charges

filed after gunshots fired

A man was arrested on drug and weapons charges after police responded to a shots fired call Saturday afternoon.

Akron police said Darron Portis, 30, of Akron, was arrested Saturday afternoon. Officers responded to a report of shots fired at 4:15 p.m. Saturday in the 900 block of Rowe Street in East Akron and later located Portis after he was exiting a house.

After searching the house, police said a stolen shotgun, pistol, unknown powdery substance, $2,000 in cash and a digital scale were found.

Portis was charged with receiving stolen property, trafficking, weapons under disability, drug paraphernalia.