CLEVELAND, Ohio – A mass shooting downtown over the weekend has raised concerns for businesses in the Warehouse District.
Nine people were injured when a gunman opened fire about 2:30 a.m. Sunday near West 6th Street and Johnson Court as people were leaving bars and restaurants in the area. The victims were transported to MetroHealth Medical Center with non-fatal injuries. One victim remains in serious condition.
Early last month, two members of the Cleveland Browns, Greg Newsome and Perrion Winfrey, were robbed in the Warehouse District at a nightclub.
Jadan Lawrence, the leader of service and hospitality at Agave and Rye on West 6th, said he is concerned people won’t visit businesses downtown.
“We could be good, or we could be bad next weekend,” the restaurant manager said. “It’s a real toss-up. It’ll come back to us as management whether we have to send people home or close if business is bad.”
Although Agave and Rye has security on the weekends, Lawrence said he and his co-workers try to leave the restaurant by 1 a.m. to be safe.
Just hours after city leadership held a press conference Sunday afternoon discussing the mass shooting, a person was robbed at gunpoint near the same intersection, police said.
About 4:30 p.m., the victim was pulled out of his Porsche and had guns pointed at him by two suspects. Police could not share more information, including whether anything was stolen by the suspects.
“You never know when you go out if you’re going to have to worry. You never know when you might be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Lawrence said.
cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to a number of Warehouse District businesses including Blue Point Grille, Cleveland Chop House, Insomnia Cookies, Taza, the Velvet Dog, Lost Social Club and more for information regarding security and possible changes to hours of operation.
Businesses such as 27 Club Coffee, West 3rd Deli and Johnny’s Downtown do not plan to change their hours of operation or add extra security.
Johnny’s has security and a police officer present every Friday and Saturday, according to an employee working in the restaurant Monday afternoon.
A spokesperson for the Downtown Cleveland Alliance said it was not aware of any businesses in the area that were considering closing early or adding extra security.
Cleveland restaurateur Bobby George said closing a business early would be “cowardly.”
“Why would we do that and let the criminals win?” he said in an interview.
George, the owner of several downtown businesses like Barley House on West 6th and REBoL on Public Square, is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the gunman.
“I’m sick and tired of watching the city go to s—,” he said in an interview Monday. “We’re seeing innocent people get hurt. I feel bad for the victims and their families.”
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said his administration “has been doing everything we possibly can to address crime in the city through a holistic all-of-government approach that includes investing in technology, our police officers and through numerous violence prevention and intervention efforts to address the root causes of crime.”
George said he urges people to continue supporting local businesses.
“Stay paranoid and stay afraid but don’t let these guys win by not coming,” he said.
cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Kerry McCormack, Cleveland’s Ward 3 councilman, for comment.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding the shooting to call 216-623-5318.
Anonymous information can be provided by calling Crimestoppers at 216-25-CRIME and a reward of up to $5,000.00 may be available.
