On the morning of December 14, 2024, 23-year-old Rakeem Jones of Lima, Ohio, was found fatally shot in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center Park. Officers from the Lima Police Department responded to a report of a man down around 10 a.m., discovered Jones with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jones was born July 19, 2001, in Lima to Joe Young and Jaquta D. Jones. He worked at Procter & Gamble in Lima and was a member of Grace Church Worldwide Ministries. He is survived by his parents, three brothers, four sisters, and other family members; funeral services were scheduled for December 28, 2024, at Grace Church Worldwide Ministries.

Detectives are following up on several leads but, as of December 28, 2024, no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Steve Stechschulte at (419) 812-0059 or Crime Stoppers at (419) 229-STOP. If anyone knew Rakeem or has information about that morning in the park, please come forward.