CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police are investigating a pair of shootings that happened downtown that left one person dead and another person injured in the early hours of Monday morning.
Police tell 3News that the first shooting occurred around 12:40 near East 9th Street and Bolivar Road when a man was shot and killed in his car. The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Anthony Blackwell, of Cleveland.
An hour later at East 9th and Prospect Avenue, officers found a 22-year-old man who said he had been shot near the Frozen Daiquiri Bar & Restaurant on Old River Road. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is in critical condition.
The shootings come as there has been an increased focus on the violence in downtown Cleveland following the mass shooting that injured nine people on West 6th St. on July 9. Last week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb announced plans to for reducing violent crime and recruiting more police officers as a part of his Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone (RISE) Initiative.
“The level of violence we are seeing in our city requires seismic investments and an all-hands-on-deck approach,” said Bibb in a statement. “We are engaging everyone — police, fire, EMS, building and housing, community relations, residents, nonprofit partners and businesses — to confront this issue. We all have a role in keeping Cleveland safe and everyone must send the message that we will not tolerate violence.”
The RISE plan seeks to "invest in police and public safety, leveraging regional partnerships, promoting aggressive enforcement and increased police visibility, and increasing the use of technology to help tackle crime."
According to officials, two unidentified males are being sought as suspects in Monday's homicide, with witnesses saying an unknown vehicle drove up beside the victim before shots were fired. Anyone with information is asked to immediately call the Cleveland Division of Police at (216) 623-5464 or Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County at (216) 252-7463. A cash reward of up to $5,000 may be available for tips.