The Cleveland Division of Police has fired Michael Brelo and five other officers over their actions during a high-speed chase in 2012 that ended in the deaths of two unarmed suspects. The shooting killed both occupants of the auto.
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Several officers fired, but only Officer Brelo faced charges.
Two unarmed black people-Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams-were killed in a shooting in the parking lot of Heritage Middle School in East Cleveland.
Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Steve Loomis will address the charges at 3 p.m.at the union hall on West 58th Street. A total of 13 officers had been notified they faced administrative discipline, and one of them has retired, McGrath said.
“The recommendation is six officers to be terminated, the other officers have various violations, relative to suspension”, Cleveland Public Safety Director Michael McGrath said Tuesday.
“It’s tragic that it went down this way, but at the end of the day, two people high on crack cocaine, high on marijuana, one of them intoxicated, made the decisions that they made and we responded”.
The officers had been cited for joining the chase or leaving the city without permission. City officials didn’t identify officers by name during the announcement, but promised to release documentation about the discipline. Many were cited for endangering other officers by creating a crossfire situation. Authorities never learned why the driver didn’t stop. A grand jury declined last month to issue charges in that case.
The police union previously said the discipline would be challenged during hearings.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has called the shooting “a tragedy” and said that the deadly outcome could have been avoided had Russell stopped his vehicle sooner.
The chase on November 29, 2012, began in downtown Cleveland after reports of gunfire coming from Russell’s auto, where Williams was a passenger.
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The U.S. Justice Department found in 2014 that the Cleveland police engaged in a pattern and practice of excessive force. The city negotiated an agreement to make changes overseen by an independent monitor.
