Cleveland police are investigating a shooting that left seven teenagers injured early Sunday morning in the city’s Lee-Harvard neighborhood. The incident occurred shortly after midnight near the intersection of Lee Road and Harvard Avenue, an area where officers had been responding to reports of illegal drag racing.
While en route, officers received additional calls reporting gunfire at the scene. Upon arrival, police found that seven individuals—ranging in age from 18 to 19—had sustained gunshot wounds. The victims include two 18-year-old men, three 18-year-old women, one 19-year-old man, and one 19-year-old woman. All were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to police, three of the victims were transported to the hospital by private vehicles, while the remaining four were taken by EMS.
Shortly after the shooting, Shaker Heights police stopped a vehicle nearby with three occupants. Investigators confirmed that the individuals and the vehicle had been present at the scene of the shooting. Three firearms were recovered during the stop, and the 21-year-old male driver was arrested on charges of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.
Police also recovered two additional firearms from a vehicle that had transported two of the victims to the hospital. That vehicle was towed for further investigation.
Cleveland City Council Public Safety Chair Michael Polensek called on the department to act swiftly: “It’s incumbent upon Cleveland Police to identify the shooters and punish them to the fullest extent of the law.”
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Cleveland Division of Police.