CLEVELAND — A section of Lorain Avenue near St. Ignatius High School will be renamed to remember fallen Cleveland police officer Wayne Leon, who was killed in the line of duty over 23 years ago.
The Officer Wayne A. Leon Memorial Highway was unveiled Monday by Lakewood Senate Minority Leader Nickie J. Antonio, Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond, Leon's wife, Grace Leon, and other city officials.
Leon was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop on June 25, 2000 by Quisi Bryan, who is currently awaiting execution on Ohio's death row.
“Today’s naming ceremony of the Officer Wayne A. Leon Memorial Highway honors the memory of a true public servant to the City of Cleveland,” said Antonio. “Thank you to Grace Leon and her family, St. Ignatius High School and the Cleveland Police Department for the joint effort as we honor Officer Leon’s heroic service and sacrifice.”
The street renaming is another way Leon's family and the Cleveland community are keeping his memory alive. Since Leon's death, the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, Cleveland Heros Run, Random Acts of Law Enforcement Kindness Day and numerous scholarships have been created in his memory.
“The dedication of this roadway in honor of Cleveland Patrolman Wayne A. Leon is a forever remembrance of a great man, his loss has been palpable for over two decades,” said Drummond. “The proximity of the marker and connection to Wayne’s beloved alma mater, St. Ignatius, make this event ever more special. I want to thank Grace, Justin, Gabrielle and Nick for allowing all of us to be a part of this momentous day, as well as Senator Nickie J. Antonio and St. Ignatius High School for making this all possible.”
The Wayne Leon Memorial Highway was created as Senate Bill 255 and included as an amendment in House Bill 578 which was signed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on January 5 of this year.
"Saint Ignatius High School was honored to host the dedication ceremony of the Wayne A. Leon Memorial Highway," said Fr. Ray Guaio, S.J. '82, President of Saint Ignatius High School. "We honor the service and sacrifice of Wayne and are proud this fitting tribute starts here at W.30th and Lorain in front of the school that he was so proud to be an alumnus of and that his widow Grace chose to entrust their two sons, Justin and Nicholas, to for their high school education. The memory of Wayne lives on here at Saint Ignatius annually with the awarding of the Wayne A. Leon '86 Scholarship, which is given to the son of a safety forces member in Northeast Ohio."