Several agencies investigating shooting death of Warren Township homeowner
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Police from several agencies are investigating to determine whether the shooting death of Mark Cleveland, 66, of Bane Street Southwest, Warren Township, might be connected to at least one other instance of gunfire early Monday.
Cleveland was standing near a second-floor window of his home, looking out, when he was hit in the leg by gunfire at 3:52 a.m. He died when the shot hit a major artery, a family member said. He is listed on the county auditor’s website as an owner of the home.
Police Chief Don Bishop said it’s possible the gunfire is related to incidents that occurred on Sweetbrier Street Northwest and North Park Avenue.
“There were a couple of other incidents that occurred prior to and thereafter this, and it seems connected. Same kind of vehicle, same kind of [shell] casings. So we’re still in the process of putting everything together. We’re not sure yet,” he said.
City police said they have not determined yet whether there is a connection between the Bane Street killing and incidents in Warren.
A granddaughter of Cleveland’s, 13, who was inside the house at the time the shooting occurred, said the shooting took place in two stages, with about four shots fired at first, then a lull of about 10 minutes, then about 25 more shots fired.
The girl said there were nine people in the house when it occurred – some who were awake, others asleep – “a lot of cousins, sisters,” she said.
Bishop said numerous 911 calls came from Cleveland’s home. But the Lords- town police dispatching center said late Monday afternoon investigators had not yet reviewed the 911 calls.
The Warren Police Department, Trumbull County Homicide Task Force and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are assisting Warren Township police.
The location of the shooting is close to Main Avenue, just south of the Warren city limits and north of the former RG Steel plant.
Warren had a gun-related incident about a half-hour after the Bane Street shooting.
According to a transcript of radio communications between the county 911 center and Warren police, a caller on Sweetbrier Avenue Southwest in the city reported that seven gunshots were fired at a house in the 1600 block at 4:25 a.m. Monday.
The car involved was a bright-red Chevrolet Trail Blazer sport-utility vehicle, the caller said. No injuries were reported.
Tania Cleveland, 18, another of Mark Cleveland’s granddaughters, said her grandfather was “very funny. He was a character.”
A woman at the scene who was asked if she could talk about what happened, said: “Somebody shot up my parents’ house and killed my dad.”
Bishop said one of his officers provided first aid to Mark Cleveland, but he was unable to keep him alive. No one else in the home was injured. The 13-year-old said her grandfather fell unconscious fairly soon after the was hit.
A check of other police reports from early Monday showed that a couple were from North Park Avenue, but none involved gunfire.
Police were called to the 2400 block of Burton Street Southeast at 7:37 p.m. Saturday for a gunshot that hit a front window, traveled over a resident’s head and hit a television.
If Cleveland’s death is ruled a homicide, it would be the 10th of the year. There also were three other homicides this year in Warren Township, all of them fairly close to Bane Street.
James E. Dotson Jr., 33, of Warren and Masury was found shot in the front parking lot of J&L Lounge on Highland Avenue Southeast early April 4 not far from Bane. He died later at a hospital.
Two members of the Brothers Regime motocycle club were shot to death at Shorty’s Place, a Highland Avenue tavern, June 18.