On June 2nd, the body of 17-year-old Ethan Liming was found near the basketball courts at Lebron James’ I Promise School in Akron, Ohio. Nine days later, three adult men were arrested on murder and felonious assault charges stemming from the violent death of Liming, leaving his family looking for answers.
Bill Liming via News 5 Cleveland YouTube
“My son Ethan Liming was murdered by three African American males and a female who stood by and did nothing,” Ethan’s father Bill Liming stated.
Authorities believe that Liming and his friends got into an altercation with several people after they shot a SPLATRBALL Water Bead Blaster at the suspects, in what appeared to be a prank gone wrong.
Accusations of racial motivations only inflamed an already tragic situation, with journalist Tariq Nasheed accusing the “white media” of trying to reframe the narrative.
According to Liming’s father, his son tried to diffuse the situation, saying to reporters “When he got out of the car and told people to relax, it’s a joke, it’s a joke, and the individuals didn’t like that.”
He noted Liming’s friends desperately tried to help him.
“They called 911 to get help. And when Ethan was knocked out and on the ground, his two African American friends tried to pick up his body and put him in the car to help save his life. He was still alive. He was still breathing.”
Ethan Liming’s mother via News 5 Cleveland YouTube
“The people who murdered him didn’t like that and drove them away. They physically assaulted and beat the white child who was there with him. … Help did not arrive in time. They did the best they could to help him when they were there. My heart’s broken,” he said.
Human Event’s Jack Posobiec shared an unnamed witness’ statement on social media regarding the events which led to Liming’s death.
Now, disturbing new details in the case have emerged. Deshawn Stafford Jr., Tyler Stafford, and Donovon Jones are accused of ganging up on Liming, beating him unconscious, and then stomping and kicking him in the head as he laid defenseless.
As Liming’s friends attempted to rush him to the hospital, the suspects are accused of moving the vehicle to prevent his friends from seeking medical attention.
According to Outkick, Akron Police allege that one of the suspects—Donovan Jones— “took the phone of one of Liming’s friends as he tried to call 911.”
The I Promise School grounds where Liming was found dead via News 5 Cleveland YouTube
Stafford’s attorney Jonathan Sinn told Fox News his client took Liming’s car to prevent Liming and his friends from fleeing the scene until police arrived.
Newly released autopsy reports show that Liming suffered from a broken neck and had a clear shoe imprint on his chest from where he had been stomped. Officials state that the breaking of Liming’s occipital bone, which is what connects the base of the skull to the cervical spine, breaking was the clear cause of death.
Sinn positioned the case as self-defense, after Deshawn, his brother and his cousin saw “a car-load of teenagers…with, what at the time seemed to be a fully automatic firearm.”
The SPLATRBALL gun obtained in police evidence.
According to police, the alleged “fully automatic firearm” was an orange and white SPLATRBALL water bead gun.
Liming was an honors student with a 4.03 GPA and played baseball and football at a public school in Akron.
Liming’s father said in a statement that he is confident once the facts of the case are presented, there will be justice for Ethan.
Each suspect pleaded not guilty during their arraignment.
Do you believe the suspects will be convicted?