Brian Cofer, 39, of Akron, Ohio, was shot and killed on October 27, 2024, during a Halloween party in Springfield Township. The shooting occurred shortly after midnight on Canton Road after a group of uninvited people reportedly entered the gathering. Witnesses and police say another man at the party was assaulted with a pistol just before Cofer was shot; that assault was captured on cell phone video and left the victim critically injured and hospitalized.

Springfield Township Police believe the shooter was part of a three-person group who arrived uninvited. Police Chief Jack Simone said there appeared to be no prior connection between Cofer and his assailant, and investigators are pursuing leads. Summit County Crimestoppers is offering up to a $5,000 reward for tips leading to an arrest. Cofer’s family remembers him as kind-hearted and say his young son now faces life without his father.

If anyone has information about the uninvited group or the shooting, please contact the Springfield Township Police Department or Summit County Crimestoppers.