Cleveland, OH
Anti-ICE demonstrators gather downtown during snow squall
CLEVELAND — A snow squall didn’t stop anti-ICE protesters from taking to the streets in Cleveland this Tuesday.
“It’s just so in your face,” Mike Bellamy, one of the protest organizers, said. “It makes it hard not to come out here even in weather like this. You just have to speak out.”
Bellamy and others braved the cold to protest President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Tuesday’s demonstration was planned in response to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis over the weekend, but it was just a few weeks ago that Bellamy helped plan another protest after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good in her car.
“They were murdered for serving the people, and everybody here sees that,” he said. “Of course, they’re not the only ones that got murdered. There are dozens others, who have been murdered off camera, in the detention facilities while being arrested.”
Top Trump officials called Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse for a Veterans Affairs hospital, a “domestic terrorist,” saying he brandished a gun and posed a threat to federal agents, but video of the shooting does not appear to show Pretti holding a firearm.
Faith leaders from across Cleveland are also expressing their support for the Minneapolis community. Representatives from the Fifth Christian Church, Christ Episcopal Church, the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and more held a press conference calling on people to participate in a nationwide strike planned for Friday. They’re asking people to skip class or work and not spend any money.
“We cannot be the people who sit idly by and hope somebody else will do something someday,” Rev. Charles Graves of the Christ Episcopal Church in Shaker Heights said. “If not us, who? If not now, when? How long will you put up with the injustices of our neighbors being kidnapped in the dark of night and in broad daylight?”
President Trump is changing his immigration approach in Minneapolis, pulling Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino out of the city and replacing him with Border Czar Tom Homan, but it’s not enough for organizers, who say they won’t stop until ICE is out of their communities completely.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Darren Lassiter of Cleveland, also referred to as “King Dinero,” was sentenced to life in prison Thursday morning.
Lassiter, previously featured on Cuyahoga’s Most Wanted was found guilty of 13 charges last month, including trafficking, rape and prostitution.
In a press release provided by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Lassiter is described as having “targeted and controlled four victims through physical and sexual violence.”
He is eligible for parole after 43 1/2 to 49 1/2 years have been served.
Yost conducted the investigation alongside the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and Cuyahoga County Michael O’Malley, with assistance from the HEAL Human Trafficking Task Force.
“[Lassiter] capitalized on human suffering, robbing vulnerable women of dignity and self-worth,” Yost wrote in the release.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is making its long-awaited return to Cleveland for the first time in three decades. On Saturday, April 18, 2026, the world’s top two-wheel racers will converge at Huntington Bank Field for one of the 17 stops on the…
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The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for 16 counties in Northeast Ohio, including the Cleveland metro area, until 9 p.m. tonight. The 3News Weather Team is closely monitoring an area of energy that is expected to spark new storms as it moves into the region, with the potential for strong winds and heavy rainfall.
Why it matters
Severe thunderstorms can bring dangerous conditions like high winds, hail, and flash flooding, posing risks to public safety and property. The Cleveland area has seen an increase in extreme weather events in recent years, making timely weather alerts and preparedness crucial for local residents.
The details
The Severe Thunderstorm Watch covers Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Holmes, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne counties. According to the 3News Weather Team, an area of energy associated with rain and storms in Illinois is expected to transition eastward toward Ohio this afternoon. As daytime heating occurs, this energy is likely to spark new thunderstorms that could be on the stronger side as they move through the region.
- The Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 9 p.m. tonight (April 15, 2026).
- The 3News Weather Team says the storms are expected to move through the area during the afternoon hours.
The players
National Weather Service in Cleveland
The regional office of the National Weather Service that issued the Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Northeast Ohio.
3News Weather Team
The meteorology team at WKYC Channel 3 News in Cleveland, who are closely monitoring the developing weather situation.
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What they’re saying
“We are closely watching an area of energy associated with rain and a few rumbles in Illinois transition east toward Ohio. As we get a little daytime heating, this area of energy will likely spark some new storms that could be on the strong side as they push through Ohio. Timing would place these through here during the afternoon hours.”
— 3News Weather Team
What’s next
Residents in the affected counties should monitor the weather closely, have a plan in place in case severe storms hit, and heed any warnings or instructions from local authorities.
The takeaway
This Severe Thunderstorm Watch serves as an important reminder for Northeast Ohio residents to stay vigilant and prepared for the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in the region. Timely weather alerts and proactive safety measures can help protect lives and property when severe storms strike.
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