For us to guess and second guess the investigative outcome of such an ugly incident is unnecessary.
In the dead of night, a mob of 13 armed men – 12 White, one Hispanic – chased down a Black couple. Finally cornering them at anEast Clevelandmiddle school, the mob – better known as the Cleveland Police Department – then executed the couple. In a storm of gunfire that people within an earshot say lasted for nearly three minutes, the result was the bullet-riddled corpses of 30-year-old Malissa Williams and 43-year-old Timothy Russell who lay lifeless after 137 rounds were fired into their car.
The aforementioned tragedy is how many inCleveland’s Black community are viewing the incident that occurred at the end of a car chase where Cleveland Police shot and killed the passengers of a vehicle that had been the focus of a police chase through several city neighborhoods before concluding inEast Cleveland.
The facts of this case have been murky, at best. More questions than answers have come forth as to how and why this police chase was initiated, continued and reached its grizzly conclusion.
How these 13Clevelandpolice officers conducted their duty is being called into question. The Call and Post Newspaper joins Congresswoman Marcia Fudge in calling for a federal investigation and an additional call for the involvement of the justice department and the federal court to oversee this matter.
As it stands at press time, East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton has reached out to the FBI and the State Attorney General’s Office is the lead in the investigation. The City ofEast Clevelandand theCountySheriff’s Office will assist in conducting the investigation into this police shooting. At the very least, expecting thatEast Clevelandleadership, with all of its current problems, will serve in a properly functioning role on this case would be a joke. And whileCleveland’s mayor seems earnest enough with his intent to get to the murky bottom of this potential powder keg, to suggest that the Cleveland Police Department should investigate some of its own on this matter is equally as ridiculous.
For us to guess and second guess the investigative outcome of such an ugly incident is unnecessary. From the outside looking in… This case reeks! There’s no need for its odor to collect an amplified stench due to the methods and motivation of its investigatory process, be it perceived or actual. All egos, agendas or jurisdiction aside, justice needs to be served in this case with impeccable and irrefutable judgment. In our opinion, this will be best achieved through a federal process.
To all parties involved, from a city, county, to a state level – FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, LET THE FEDS HANDLE THIS!
