AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) – One of two suspects convicted in connection with the December 2022 fatal shooting at an Akron skate park was sentenced to 18 years in prison Thursday.
Julian Fort, 26, was sentenced to 18 to 23.5 years in prison for the shooting that killed 19-year-old Zion Neal at the Derby Downs skate park.
According to a release from the Summit County Prosecutor, Fort was found guilty after submitting an Alfred plea, meaning that he is not admitting guilt to the charges of voluntary manslaughter with a three-year firearm specification, obstructing justice and tampering with evidence.
Since Fort was also a violent offender, upon his release, he will have to register in the Violent Offender Database for 10 years.
Akron Police detectives and members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Hendrix-Vest and Fort in January 2023…