Intense manhunt continues for suspect in chase, gunfire

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A man who shot at city police officers during a chase that spanned several jurisdictions Thursday morning was still on the loose late Thursday night.

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Luis Cruz Ramos, 30, who reports said has a Lowell Avenue address, is wanted on a rape warrant out of Puerto Rico for a special-needs victim 14 years old or younger. He managed to elude a manhunt around the Lake Park Cemetery area on Midlothian Boulevard after he abandoned his van on Interstate 680 south after a chase involving multiple agencies.

Law-enforcement officials described Ramos as dangerous.

“If he’s willing to commit violence against the police, he certainly won’t hesitate to do that toward the general public,” Youngstown Police Chief Robin Lees said.

“He’s obviously proven that he’s not afraid to hurt a police officer,” added Boardman Police Chief Jack Nichols. “On a scale of one to 10 in terms of danger, it’s probably a 10 for the officers involved.”

Lees agreed the fact the suspect ran and shot at officers makes it tougher for them to deal with him if they catch him again.

“People like that have already resolved not to be captured,” Lees said.

Campbell Police Chief Drew Rauzan echoed that sentiment: “His behavior already told us everything we need to know about him – he’s willing to avoid jail at all costs.”

“At this point he feels he has nothing to lose, which makes him all the more dangerous to police officers and the public,” Campbell Lt. Kevin Sferra said, referring to how Ramos now will face additional felony charges because of his actions during the chase.

Nichols advised members of the public to be vigilant and mindful of anything out of the ordinary.

“When they were looking for the Boston bombers, a guy looked out his window and saw the cover to his boat was unsnapped,” he said. “That’s the kind of thing that led to the capture of the one suspect.”

Ramos had been the subject of police attention since Tuesday, when Campbell police received a call from his girlfriend from Philadelphia who told them she left him a month ago because Ramos was holding her against her will in the Murray Avenue home they shared.

On Wednesday night, Campbell police received information from a relative that Ramos was headed toward the Kirwan Homes area, and they went to look for him. Reports said they spotted Ramos about 12:05 a.m. Thursday. When police tried to pull over his van, Ramos instead drove away.

Ramos led Campbell officers down Wilson Avenue over the Center Street Bridge to the South Side and Boardman, reports said. Boardman police deployed stop sticks that punctured a front tire, but the van turned around and headed back toward Campbell. Campbell police tried to box in the van, but Ramos rammed a cruiser and got away, reports said.

He then got back on I-680 north. As they exited the freeway at Midlothian Boulevard, reports said, Ramos fired at least four gunshots, with two of the bullets striking a Youngstown cruiser. The officer was not injured. As Youngstown officers tried to put down stop sticks, Ramos fired three more shots toward them, reports said.

Ramos crossed the grass barrier in the middle of the freeway to I-680 south and bailed out of his van, police said. When Ramos was seen entering the cemetery, the officers formed a perimeter and called for the crisis response team.

Rauzan said the officers pursued Ramos for so long because he was wanted on a violent felony charge.

“It wouldn’t be advisable to give chase for that long for a run-of-the-mill traffic violation,” Rauzan said.

Members of the Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team searched the cemetery and the wooded areas around the cemetery for Ramos but could not find him. The stakeout, which featured dozens of officers from multiple agencies, canines, armored vehicles and marked as well as unmarked cruisers, was called off about 10 a.m.

Law-enforcement officials then turned their attention to follow up on leads and getting in touch with known acquaintances.

“We start at square one: friends, family, acquaintances, employers,” said Dan Deville of the U.S. Marshals Service shortly after the stakeout ended. “It’s going to be a long day.”

The Marshals Service asks that anyone with information about Ramos call a tip line at 866-4-WANTED or text “wanted” to TIP-411. Anyone who sees Ramos should call police immediately and not try to approach or confront him on their own.