Teenager beaten to death near LeBron James’ school in Akron
Jan 21, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
A teenage boy was beaten to death near LeBron James’ I Promise School in Akron, Ohio last week.
17-year-old Ethan Liming was found dead in the parking lot near the basketball courts of the I Promise School on Thursday night.
Liming and three friends were involved in a fight with a group of four (three males and a woman) who reportedly were playing basketball, FOX 8 says.
Liming’s friends called police after the teenager was beat unconscious. He was pronounced dead at the scene due to blunt force trauma.
The Liming family is seeking help in identifying the perpetrators.
If you didn’t know, my step son Ethan was brutally beaten to death at the I Promise School in Akron on June 2. Anyone with information is asked to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or the Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS. Please share. pic.twitter.com/4Rk0DF0VdZ
— Cyndi Liming (@CyndiLiming) June 4, 2022
Liming’s father Bill believes that Ethan, who is white, was murdered in a hate crime. The three men in the other group who committed the crime were all black.
“Some people looked at him as somebody whose life didn’t matter. And it just breaks our hearts. And we don’t want this to happen to anybody else’s child,” Bill Liming told the Akron Beacon Journal.
James’ foundation addressed the death over social media.
(2/2) Our @IPROMISESchool campus is safe and secure as we continue to do everything we can to support our students, families, and the entire Akron community. 💚
— LeBron James Family Foundation (@LJFamFoundation) June 3, 2022
James shared this tweet but has not publicly tried to aid the effort to find the killers.
Our condolences goes out to the family who lost a loved one!! My the heavens above watch over you during this tragedy! Pray for our community! 💚👑 https://t.co/bpq5qsoNfO
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 3, 2022