Jamarrick Keyshawn Valentine, 21, was shot and killed on June 11, 2019, in Akron, Ohio, after intervening to break up a fight between two men over a girlfriend near the University of Akron campus. Valentine had passed the written portion of the Akron police exam, ranking 16th out of nearly 800 applicants, and aspired to become a police officer.
Within minutes of the shooting, 30-year-old De'Jon Cash was taken into custody without incident in a nearby parking lot and was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and booked into the Summit County Jail. Authorities described the incident as stemming from a domestic dispute, with no drugs or other underlying crimes involved; investigators were considering additional charges against Cash.
Valentine left behind his fiancée, Kahlia Ewing, and their 5-month-old daughter, Santana Marlee Valentine. His family remembered him as funny, strong, and brave, and the community organized support and funds to help with funeral costs.
If anyone witnessed the shooting or has information about what happened that evening, please share it.