Update 06/09/2022 11:10am:

News of 17-year-old Ethan Liming being beaten to death outside of LeBron James' "I Promise School" made headlines last week, with James sending condolences to the family. 

On Wednesday (June 8), the Akron Police Department provided more information on the incident, revealing that a fight started after Liming and three other teens started shooting a SplatRBall gun at four individuals playing basketball. For those unfamiliar, the SplatRBall gun shoots out small water ball beads at up to 8 rounds per second. During the altercation, Liming was knocked unconscious and brutally attacked. 

Liming's father, Bill, spoke to 3News, stating, "My son died because of a toy. And just goofing around as a teenager." Bill added, "I just have to have faith that yes, we're in a sick world, but we can figure this out, and we can make this a better place. I just wish Ethan would've been a part of that better place." 

Liming's death is being investigated as a homicide, and as it is ongoing, none of the names of the suspects have been released. 

Source: WKYC

Original 06/03/2022 5:02pm:

A 17-year-old, identified as Ethan Liming (pictured above), was beaten to death in the parking lot at LeBron James' "I Promise" school on Thursday (June 2).

According to Akron Police, Liming was found around 10:45 pm in the school parking lot near 400 West Market Street. The teen had reportedly been knocked unconscious and assaulted during an altercation with three other males. Officers arrived at the scene after friends of Liming called for help. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Following the incident, The LeBron James Family Foundation released a statement, which reads, "Our community is everything to us. We were devastated to learn of the overnight incident that saw a life lost near our school. We are grieving with our community over another senseless act of violence. Our campus is safe and secure as we continue to do everything we can to support our students, families, and the entire Akron community." 

The statement continues, "Our Akron Public Schools family expresses its deepest condolences and offers its prayers to the family and friends of a student who lost his life last night. We mourn as one for Ethan Liming, a 17 year old rising senior at Firestone Community Learning Center. Ethan was a student leader at his school and was in the Academy of Design there.

The death of a student affects all of Akron Public Schools. Ethan’s passing is, sadly, one of many we have experienced during this school year. May we all pause a moment from our daily pressures to give thanks for the lives of these children. May we forever find ways to keep our memories of them alive. Each of these losses reminds us about how precious, and sometimes fleeting, life can be." 

Source: FOX 19