A police chase that started in Newburgh Heights tore into Cleveland's Broadway-Slavic Village neighborhood Wednesday night, ending in a crash, gunfire, and a chaotic scene that left several people wounded and the suspected shooter dead, according to Cleveland police. Streets around the site were quickly shut down as ambulances, cruisers, and detectives flooded the area, and officers went door to door looking for witnesses.
According to WKYC, Newburgh Heights officers pursued a vehicle into Cleveland, where it crashed near the 7400 block of Clement Avenue. Cleveland police told WKYC that the suspect then opened fire on a victim, who was hit and taken to a hospital in stable condition. Law enforcement said the suspect later died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers locked down surrounding blocks while they gathered shell casings and other physical evidence.
Police response and ongoing probe
Cleveland police kept the area sealed off as detectives from the division's homicide and crash units began piecing together what happened. The city has seen several high-profile pursuits spill into residential streets in recent weeks, and this one arrives on the heels of another multi-agency chase in late May that left officers injured. As reported by WOIO, that May incident pushed the department to hold a news conference focused on pursuit safety and how officers respond when a chase turns violent.
Victims and what authorities have released
Investigators are keeping details tight for now and have not publicly named the suspect or any of the people who were hurt, authorities told WKYC. The Cleveland Division of Police says the case remains an active investigation, with detectives interviewing witnesses, pulling nearby video, and working to reconstruct the chain of events that started in Newburgh Heights and ended in Cleveland. Officials have not said whether any outside law enforcement agencies will be asked to review potential use-of-force questions tied to the pursuit or shooting.
What to watch next
The investigation is still underway, and police say they will release more information once they are able to do so. This story will be updated as officials make additional details public.
