“Three Men Sentenced for Akron Shootout That Killed Pregnant Woman: Was It Worth It?”
- Antonil Whitaker, Jeremiah Williams and Darrion Rackley were sentenced to prison for an Akron shootout that killed a pregnant woman.
- Seven males have been charged in the shootout, with six taking plea deals and the other having a case that’s still pending.
The mother of a pregnant woman caught in the crossfire of an Akron shootout posed this question Tuesday to the young men convicted in the shooting: Was it worth it?
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“No,” Yalaunda Dortch said, answering her own question. “It destroyed your lives in the process. Our lives. Your family’s lives.”
Dortch and other family members of Teyaurra Harris, 21, who died in the shooting, offered forgiveness to the three young men being sentenced in Summit County Common Pleas Court and hope that they can turn their lives around.
“We say a prayer that the time you have you use to be a better version of you,” said Avery Dortch, Teyaurra’s uncle. “There are too many people losing important pieces of their families over stuff that does not matter.”
Jeremiah Williams, 22; Antonil Whitaker, 17; and Darrion Rackley, 20; all previously accepted agreements with prosecutors, pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and multiple counts of felonious assault, with several of the charges including gun specifications that require additional prison time.
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Williams and Whitaker were sentenced first, followed by Rackley.
Judge Alison McCarty sentenced Whitaker, who was bound over from Summit County Juvenile Court to be tried as an adult, and Williams to 20 to 24 years in prison. She sentenced Rackley to 34 to 39½ years in prison.
McCarty noted that Rackley was getting more prison time because he was with the group that fired first.
“It could have been a massacre,” McCarty said, of the shootout in a residential neighborhood when it was still light out. “Unfortunately, it all fell on one young lady and her family.”
2 young women caught in crossfire of shootout
The shooting happened about 7:30 p.m. April 14, 2022, on Rockaway Street in Akron’s Kenmore neighborhood.
Police say at least 30 bullets from three guns were fired after a person got out of a car and started shooting at a group of people in front of a house.
Police say two males with the group returned fire.
Harris, a 21-year-old pregnant woman who was a passenger in a vehicle driving on Rockaway Street, was struck in the back of the head by a stray bullet that went through the back window of the car. She died four days later.
A 19-year-old woman who was in the area was also hit by gunfire but survived.
Police arrested seven males in the shooting, with six of them accepting plea deals.
Jaunte Smith, Jaeviaire Small and Zyeir Saunders were all sentenced to prison.
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Lenier Worthy, 20, of Akron, has a newer case than the others. His next pretrial is Dec. 20. Prosecutors say he fired the shot that killed Harris.
Family members express grief and sorrow
The courtroom was packed for the sentencings Tuesday by family members and friends of both Harris and the young men convicted in the shooting.
Avery Dortch, Teyaurra’s uncle, said the family has to try to explain what happened to Teyaurra’s two young children.
“They don’t understand,” he said. “It’s going to be difficult.”
Gregory Dortch, Teyaurra’s uncle, said in a letter read during the sentencing that these young men had no respect for life or for the law.
“It was wrong for these young men to take law into their own hands,” he said.
Dortch said Teyaurra was a beautiful person who had a smile that lit up the room. He said family gatherings aren’t the same without her.
Cassandra Dortch, Teyaurra’s great-aunt, said in a letter that she never imagined her family would lose someone to violence. She said this was something she read about happening in the newspaper or saw on television and felt sympathy for the family.
“We are changed forever,” she said. “Always missing and forever missed.”
Like her brother, Yalaunda Dortch encouraged the young men to turn their lives around in prison and to urge others to do so as well.
“Y’all need to stop,” she said. “Don’t pick this back up. Make sure others stop and don’t pick it back up.”
Mother and defendant apologize to victim’s family
Aubrey Lions-Mitchell, Williams’ mother, apologized to Harris’ family.
She said her son is deeply sorry for what happened and plans to become a better man.
“I ask that you give him grace and allow him to move on,” she said. “He’s been trying to put the pieces of his life back together.”
Jeff Laybourne, who represented Williams, said his client took responsibility for his part in this shooting“because he felt compelled to.”
Williams also apologized to Harris’ family in a tearful statement.
“I’m very sorry for my involvement in this,” he said. “I know it’s hard for the family to wake up and not see their daughter. I took that from them.”
Williams said he is grateful that Harris’ family has forgiven him.
“I’m going to take my time and become a better man for my family and myself,” he said.
Jacob Will, Whitaker’s attorney, noted that his client is still a juvenile and isn’t even old enough to vote. He said he is remorseful and has accepted responsibility.
Whitaker didn’t speak.
Judge questions reason for shootout
Noah Munyer, Rackley’s attorney, said he appreciates the resolution reached in this case. He said these cases are never easy, and this one was especially difficult.
Rackley apologized to his and Harris’ families.
“My actions caused a lot of harm to a lot of people,” he said. “I want to apologize – for everything.”
McCarty said Rackley and his friends sat in a car on Rockaway Street for 30 to 40 minutes, watching for another car.
“You were trying to figure out what to do – deciding who you wanted to kill,” she said. “What was the conversation? Those actions show what you did was purposeful. It was callous and it was heartless.”
McCarty said Rackley is doing more time than the other two young men sentenced Tuesday because he was among those who started the shootout.
“You and your friends started the bullets flying in a residential street in Akron,” she said. “A big surprise the bullets flew back and the bullets killed someone.”
McCarty said she’d like to know what prompted the shootout.
“I’m guessing it was something stupid and trivial,” she said. “Someone disrespected you in some way. There was no respect for life – yours or anyone else’s. You didn’t think about your family, your friends, the people you were shooting, the people driving down the street or living in those houses.”
McCarty said she hopes Rackley understands the devastation he caused.
“It wasn’t your bullet that killed,” she said. “It was your actions that started it.”
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached atswarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705, and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.
Three young men, Antonil Whitaker, Jeremiah Williams, and Darrion Rackley, have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in an Akron shootout that resulted in the death of a pregnant woman. The shootout took place on April 14, 2022, in Akron’s Kenmore neighborhood, and involved at least 30 bullets fired from three guns.
Teyaurra Harris, a 21-year-old pregnant woman who was a passenger in a vehicle driving on Rockaway Street, was tragically struck in the back of the head by a stray bullet that went through the back window of the car. She passed away four days later. Another 19-year-old woman who was in the area was also hit by gunfire but survived.
Seven males were arrested in connection with the shootout, with six of them accepting plea deals. However, one of the defendants, Lenier Worthy, has a newer case and his trial is still pending. Prosecutors allege that Worthy fired the shot that killed Harris.
During the sentencing in Summit County Common Pleas Court, family members of the victim expressed their grief and sorrow. Yalaunda Dortch, the mother of the pregnant woman, posed a question to the young men convicted: “Was it worth it?” She answered the question herself, stating that it had destroyed not only their lives but also her own and their families’. Despite their pain, the family offered forgiveness to the defendants and hoped that they would use their time in prison to turn their lives around.
Judge Alison McCarty handed down the sentences, with Whitaker and Williams receiving 20 to 24 years in prison, and Rackley receiving 34 to 39½ years. McCarty noted that Rackley received a longer sentence because he was part of the group that initiated the shootout.
The courtroom was filled with family members and friends of both the victim and the defendants. Family members spoke about the impact of the tragic incident on their lives and emphasized the need for change and respect for life.
The defense attorneys representing the young men expressed remorse and acceptance of responsibility on behalf of their clients. Williams and Rackley also personally apologized to Harris’ family for their involvement in the shooting and expressed their determination to become better individuals.
In her closing remarks, Judge McCarty questioned the reason behind the shootout and expressed her hope that Rackley understands the devastation he caused. She emphasized the lack of respect for life and the consequences of their actions.
The sentencing serves as a reminder of the tragic consequences of gun violence and the importance of finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts. The hope is that these young men will use their time in prison to reflect on their actions and work towards becoming better individuals..
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Stephanie Warsmith said 3 Akron males get prison time for shootout that killed pregnant woman
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