A 23-year-old Cleveland woman is in police custody following the fatal shooting of a young mother at Mill Creek Falls in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Cleveland Metroparks Police confirmed that Lavia M. Paul was arrested Wednesday evening with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. She is facing a murder charge in connection to the death of 25-year-old Kiara Jackson.
According to police, the shooting occurred around 3:45 a.m. near the entrance to Mill Creek Falls, located off Broadway Avenue near Turney Road and Tioga Avenue. Responding officers found Jackson at the scene, deceased from a gunshot wound.
Investigators say both the victim and the suspect had been part of a group that spent time together throughout the day Tuesday before the situation escalated at the park. Authorities have not released further details on what led up to the shooting.
Jackson, a mother of two, was remembered by her family as a vibrant and loving person. “She’s the life of the party,” said her older sister, Deshawnte Jackson. “I can’t believe it. Everybody is in shock. My dad couldn’t even process it.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by the family to help cover funeral expenses.
Cleveland Metroparks Police plan to share more information about the case during a press conference scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The investigation remains ongoing.