CLEVELAND — Six weeks after the November 29th Cleveland police chase and officer-involved shooting, officials say they still don’t know the number of officers that took part in the pursuit.
Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath met with members of Cleveland City council”s safety committee meeting Wednesday morning to update officials on the investigation of the chase.
He told council members he still does not have an exact number of Cleveland police officers that took part in the pursuit. Video recently released shows about 50 cruisers were involved in the chase at certain points.
Council members quizzed the chief on the pursuit policy and asked why the helicopter was not in the air on the night of the pursuit.
The chief said the aviation unit was not working that day.
The pursuit started at the Justice Center after an officer said someone in the suspect’s car fired a shot at him. The chase ended in East Cleveland, where 13 officers fired 137 shots.
The two suspects, Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams, were killed.
The chief said the administrative view should be completed by the end of the month.
The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting the criminal investigation.
Several citizens also attended the meeting and voiced their displeasure with the lack of answers at this point. The activists left the meeting room chanting, “No justice, no peace.”
“If there is residue on their hands, the community will understand. If there is no residue on their hands, the community will understand, but right now there is a cover up, and we want justice,” said Art McKoy, one of the activists.
Union officials believe the police officers’ actions were justified.
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