Mayor Jackson says, “CLEVELAND IS BETTER THAN THIS”

Cleveland has experienced another senseless shooting and killing because of the irresponsible actions of individuals with guns located at 1388 E. 71 St. Six-year old Lyrica Melodi Lawson was sleeping during the night when the house was riddled with bullets which entered the house and one of the bullets struck her in the head fatally wounding the young child. Reports are that 22 bullets holes were seen in the structure of the home and it is only by chance that the five children, who were also in the home, were not harmed.

Mayor Frank Jackson has escalated efforts for police to gather facts, identify suspects and make arrests. This tragic incident can happen anywhere but it is happening to often in Cleveland, Ohio. Mayor Jackson has called on the citizens of the city as well as those young people who have lived by a “No Snitch” rule to come forward and give information to police. He said, “Cleveland is better than this”.

“There are people who have information who need to come forward, we need your help and your courage, and we need justice for Lyrica.

Chief Calvin Williams emphatically stated, “Enough is Enough! We have witnessed the brutal slaying of children in our communities and neighborhoods. The line must be drawn between these malicious acts and a spirit of cooperation must be adopted to stop these senseless killings.

Mayor Jackson stated, “We will not rest until those who are targeting innocent people while trying to sleep at night are brought to justice and they face the full penalty of the law. The senseless killings and all of the killings must cease. We are here to help. If you need help we are here as a resource to steer you in a direction that will enhance your life. We have made progress. The total number of homicides in the city has decreased, but we must call a moratorium on the use of guns in Cleveland. I do not and I will not leave this position of Mayor until we are able to address the negative element that continues to plague Cleveland. When one person goes through this agony, we all go through this agony.”

Investigators ask anyone with information regarding this crime to report information via Crime Stoppers or call (216) 621-1234.