Donald Eugene Bailey, a 37-year-old man from Akron, Ohio, tragically passed away on August 17, 2020. He was found with a gunshot wound to the torso in the area of Dover and Bellevue avenues in West Akron. Bailey was transported to Cleveland Clinic Akron General, where he was later pronounced dead.
The investigation into Bailey's death led to the arrest of Brandon Jones, a 35-year-old Akron resident.
Jones was initially charged with two counts of murder, one count of felonious assault, and one count of having weapons under disability. However, Jones later accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, with a three-year gun specification. The case was scheduled to go to trial, but Jones decided to accept the plea deal instead.
The shooting incident occurred around 10:00 p.m. on August 17, 2020, when Bailey was found shot near a white Jeep. Residents in the area reported hearing multiple gunshots before the police arrived. Jones fled the scene in a dark-colored vehicle but later turned himself in to the authorities.
The court proceedings continued, and Judge Alison Breaux was set to sentence Jones on March 14. Jones's attorney, James Reed, had planned to argue that the shooting was in self-defense if the case had gone to trial.
Bailey's death was a significant event in Akron, and the community mourned the loss of the 37-year-old man. His family and friends remembered him fondly, and his obituary described him as a beloved son, brother, father, and friend.
The case brought attention to the issue of gun violence in Akron and highlighted the need for measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
