18-year-old killed during shooting at Cleveland food mart

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – According to Cleveland Police they are investigating a multiple shooting murder that happened at a convenience store in Cleveland’s Collinwood neighborhood.

Police said around 7 p.m. Thursday Fifth District officers responded to a 911 call for shots fired at Brother Food Mart located at 15512 St Clair Avenue.

19 News spoke with a mother whose 15-year-old daughter was inside the store when the shooting happened. She left the hospital with more than just stitches; she’s traumatized.

The Cleveland mother we spoke to wanted to remain anonymous because she’s concerned for her family’s safety. She said she and her teenage daughter stopped at Brother Food Mart a little before 7 on Thursday night. She was in the car when her daughter ran in to buy something.

“Within seconds you could hear gunshots and I panicked, and I ran in to try to find her and there was so much gun smoke that I couldn’t even hear her screams and it was the most terrifying thing of my life,” the Cleveland mom recalled. “Seeing people running out shot and hurt and running different places trying to get cover. It happened so fast and now she’s just terrified. It just keeps playing in her head and she’s only 15.”

A panicked employee called 911 from the Saint Clair Avenue store that night.

“Hello 911, what city is your emergency?” said the dispatcher.

“There is gunfire in the store!” the employee cried.

When officers arrived on the scene they didn’t find any victims and learned that several people were driven by private vehicles to the hospital.

They did find one girl with lacerations; that was this woman’s daughter.

“Somebody tried to use her as a shield and she also hit her head pretty hard, they considered it a graze across her head, and she got some stitches,” the mother explained. “I’m just blessed that she’s here with me. It happened so fast. I jumped out the car. I left it running and a young man walked past me with his gun, and I didn’t even know if he was gonna shoot me at that time, me trying to get past him to get to my daughter. Just a mother’s instinct kicked in. I didn’t care about me. I just wanted my child.”

Officers responded to the hospital, where the three victims were taken.

According to police one victim, a 15-year-old male was shot in the shoulder, and a second victim, a 28-year-old man was shot in the arm.

The third victim, an 18-year-old male was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

“I just wish you guys would put the guns down that’s it,” the mom said. “It’s not worth it. You’re taking people’s lives.”

The investigation is ongoing. No arrests have been made at this time, according to police.

Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.