Law enforcement has teamed up to make arrests in last week's spate of fatal shootings in Akron.

After arresting 28 year-old Christopher Meadows on Friday afternoon - wanted in the shooting death of 27 year-old Tramein Walker of Akron - Akron police and the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force teamed up again later that day.

Over the weekend, the task force announced the arrest of 29 year-old Dawud Spalding on kidnapping charges - he was also wanted for questioning in shooting deaths Thursday on Grant Street.

U.S. Marshall Pete Ellliot says the task torce is a team with law enforcers from all over Northern Ohio...

"We put a coalition together, and brought in units from other counties and other cities to assist us and mobilize," Elliott tells AkronNewsNow.com. "Our strengths are in our partnerships together. There's a problem here in Akron right now, and we're here to address those issues and that problem."

ANN's Mike Ward talks to U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott by MPWard

Ellliot says the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force has officers from all over the state, helping in Akron.

"So we have officers from Toledo, Lorain, Youngstown, Akron, Cleveland, all over, Mansfield," Elliot says, "that we can mobilize at any time to come in and assist."

Those out of town officers are deputized while working on the task force, and can make arrests wherever they are needed.

Elliott says the task force and Akron police have been "pounding the pavement" non-stop since Thursday morning.

U.S. Marshals Service - news release

The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) Akron Division stepped up their efforts to assist with the rash of violence that has occurred in Akron over the last week.  The NOVFTF called in Task Force Officers from three counties. Task Force Officers worked non-stop hand in hand with the Akron Police Department, Street Narcotics Uniform Division (SNUDS) unit, hitting the streets non-stop since Thursday morning.  The long hours and dedication paid off with their first arrest on Friday afternoon.  Christopher Meadows, 28, wanted on the charges of Homicide was arrested by the Task Force and SNUD units, on S. Arlington Ave., Akron at approximately 3pm.  Meadows, was wanted in the shooting death of Tramein Walker, 27, of Akron which occurred on Wednesday.  Walker was shot to death after an argument on Roselle Ave. occurred.

The NOVFTF and the Akron Police SNUDS unit did not sit back and relax, they continued to pound the streets, conducting numerous interviews and surveillance throughout the rest of the day and early evening.  At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dawud Spaulding, 29, of Akron, was arrested on Dominion Ave., on the charges of Kidnapping, he was also wanted for questioning in the shooting deaths that occurred on Thursday at an Grant St., address in Akron.

Peter Elliott, U.S. Marshal, Northern District of Ohio stated “The NOVFTF is committed to assist local police departments in assuring that their citizens feel safe.  The NOVFTF has worked very hard to track, locate and apprehend fugitives from justice no matter where they run and hide.  The work of the Task Force Akron Division and Akron Police SNUDS unit over the last few days is just one example of how team work pays off and our commitment to the Akron community.”   “We will continue to hit the streets with all of our resources to assist in tracking down all of the shooting suspects.”    

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of a known fugitive is encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at:  1-866-4-WANTED or text keyword WANTED and the tip to 847411(tip411). Tipsters may remain anonymous.

      The NOVFTF Akron Division consists of the following federal, state and local agencies:

Akron Police Department, Barberton Police Department, Bath Township Police Department

Boston Heights Village Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, Copley Township Police Department, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development – OIG, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hinckley Police Department, Kent Police Department, Medina Police Department, Montville Township Police Department, New Franklin Police Department, Northfield Village Police Department, Norton Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Portage County Prosecutor’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Ravenna Police Department, Reminderville Police Department, Stow Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Twinsburg Police Department, United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, University of Akron Police Department, Wadsworth Police Department.