An Akron, Ohio resident, Antonio D. Burney was a man whose life was cut short at the age of 36. Though details of his personal life, work, and family are not widely known, a social media tribute remembered him as "a son, a friend, a life full of stories," whose life was lost in a moment that should never have turned violent. His death left a void for those who knew and loved him.
The evening of Tuesday, October 20, 2026, ended in tragedy on the south side of Akron.
Antonio was at the Absolut Lounge in the 400 block of East South Street. According to Akron Police, an altercation broke out inside the bar late that night. The conflict was not contained; it spilled out from the lounge and into the parking lot, where the dispute escalated dramatically.
At approximately 10:39 p.m., the sound of gunfire cut through the night. When police officers and paramedics arrived at the scene, they found Antonio in the parking lot suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. First responders administered medical aid before he was rushed to Summa Health Akron City Hospital, a Level I trauma center. Despite the efforts to save him, Antonio D. Burney was pronounced dead at 11:06 p.m.
The violence that evening also left another man injured. Inside the Absolut Lounge, officers discovered a 26-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his leg. He was also transported to the hospital for treatment of what were described as non-life-threatening injuries and was expected to survive. The shooting brought a heavy police presence to the neighborhood as detectives from the Major Crimes Unit and investigators from the Crime Scene Unit began the task of piecing together what had happened.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Akron Police detained a 33-year-old man who was reportedly involved in the incident for questioning. Detectives interviewed witnesses and collected evidence from the scene, working to understand the sequence of events that led from a dispute inside a bar to a fatal shooting in the parking lot. The Absolut Lounge itself had previously been a subject of concern for city officials, who had opposed the renewal of its liquor license months before the deadly incident.
As of the latest reports in October 2026, the investigation into Antonio Burney's death was active and ongoing. It was not publicly announced whether charges were filed against the man who was detained or if any other suspects were identified. Many questions about the motive and the precise circumstances of the altercation remained unanswered.
The Akron Police Department has asked for the public's help in solving this case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP. Anonymous information can be provided by calling Summit County CrimeStoppers at 330-434-COPS or by texting TIPSCO with tips to 274637.
