On the evening of May 20, 2026, a verbal dispute in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood escalated into gunfire that left 26-year-old Akili Hammond dead. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner determined Hammond died of multiple gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide. Responding officers found Hammond with gunshot injuries and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators say the confrontation involved several people and that multiple firearms were discharged. An off-duty Cleveland police officer, 22-year-old Myron Priest Jr., has been identified as one of the people who fired a weapon. Because a Cleveland officer was involved, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department took over the probe; Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd placed Priest on unpaid administrative leave pending the investigation and described a preliminary review as indicating potential egregious violations of department policy.

Hammond’s family has demanded transparency, asking for surveillance footage and dispatch audio and questioning why a witness and family member was taken into custody while the off-duty officer was not. A friend who says they witnessed the shooting disputes the officer’s claim of self-defense and reported seeing another person with a rifle and a ski mask. As of late May 2026, no arrests or charges have been announced and the investigation remains active.

Does anyone have information about the shooting or relevant footage from the Hough neighborhood that could help investigators?