CLEVELAND — A 17-year-old suspect wanted in connection with a mass shooting in Cleveland’s Flats entertainment district was arrested Wednesday during a joint law enforcement operation that resulted in eight felony arrests and the recovery of six illegal firearms.
The teen, wanted for the Sept. 7 mass shooting, was taken into custody following a traffic stop that turned into a brief pursuit through downtown Cleveland. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers initiated the stop around 5:10 p.m. after observing a gray Jeep Cherokee commit a traffic violation, but the driver failed to yield and fled.
OSHP’s Aviation Unit tracked the vehicle from above while the ground trooper terminated the pursuit for safety reasons. The Jeep came to a stop in the 2100 block of West 52nd Street at approximately 5:24 p.m., and four occupants fled on foot.
Troopers arrested the driver, Xavier Baldwin, 21, of Cleveland, without incident. The teenage suspect was apprehended shortly after, and officers discovered three illegal firearms at the scene, including one hidden in a garbage can near where the teen was located. The Jeep was later determined to be stolen.
The operation was part of an ongoing violent crime reduction initiative in Cleveland launched by Gov. Mike DeWine and Mayor Justin Bibb in 2023. The multi-agency effort brings together state, local and federal law enforcement teams to focus on high-crime areas.
In addition to the eight felony arrests, Wednesday’s operation resulted in four drug seizures, six illegal firearm recoveries and one stolen vehicle recovery.
The agencies involved include Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Drug Enforcement Administration and United States Department of Justice.
Video: Cruiser Cam, Aviation, Body Cam
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