Public Safety
& Violence
82% of Summit County homicides in 2024 involved a firearm.
why it matters
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Public safety shapes how people experience their neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities. Violence affects more than those directly involved. It can create lasting trauma, grief, fear, and instability for families and entire neighborhoods.
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Firearm violence, domestic violence, and youth involvement in serious offenses remain significant concerns across Summit County. These realities are often connected to other challenges, including poverty, trauma, mental health, substance use, and limited access to opportunity.
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Safer communities are built through both prevention and response. Trusted relationships, early intervention, strong families, community partnerships, and effective public safety systems all play a role in reducing violence and creating places where people feel safe and connected.
by the numbers
Key realities shaping life in Greater Akron.
37%
increase in Summit County's assault death rate over the past 15 years.
4 in 5
of Summit County homicides in 2024 involved a firearm.
46.9
assault deaths per 100,000 Black residents in Summit County during 2019–2023.
8
domestic violence-related homicides occurred in Summit County in 2025, compared with 2 in 2024.
44
homicides recorded in Summit County in 2024
82
charges involving guns or other deadly weapons were filed against juveniles in Summit County in 2024.
All data presented was obtained from partners and publicly available sources across Greater Akron. Data reflects the most recent information available at the time of collection and may vary by reporting period, geography, or methodology.
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prayer
Pray for safety throughout Greater Akron. Ask God to protect neighborhoods, families, children, and those who serve our community. Pray for peace in places experiencing violence and fear.
Pray for those affected by violence. Ask God to bring comfort and healing to victims, families, and communities carrying trauma, grief, and loss.
Pray for peacemakers. Ask God to raise up trusted leaders, neighbors, officers, pastors, mentors, and young people who will build relationships, interrupt cycles of violence, and create pathways toward peace.