Police respond to multiple citywide “street takeovers” organized via social media

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) – Police in Cleveland said they responded to several “street robberies” across the city Saturday evening.

According to Police Chief Dorothy Todd, the attacks involved people stopping traffic, shooting fireworks, attempting to light fires and shooting at officers with shotguns.

Todd said the calls came in at multiple locations where vehicles were gathering and blocking traffic after 11 p.m

The locations included:

• West 25th Street and Lorain
• Roses Plaza on West 65th Street
• Steelyard Commons
• East 105th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
• East 93rd Street and Opportunity Corridor
• East 55th and Woodland Avenue
• I-90 West Freeway near West 14th Street

Todd said I-90 was closed by the suspects, who blocked traffic, shot off fireworks and attempted to light fires.

She said they were unable to light the fires because of the wet roads.

Melvyn Beck, a party bus driver, said his bus was stopped on I-90 during the incident. He also said he filmed a masked person clinging to his window from inside the vehicle.

Beck said his door was also defaced and he called 911 20 times Saturday night.

Luckily no one on the bus was hurt.

Officials said at least one officer was struck by a shotgun blast. Some residents also reported firearms being pointed at them.

However, Todd said there were no serious injuries.

“But this is still frightening,” she said.

Cleveland police said an Instagram post on Saturday evening warned about these events, which were allegedly organized by someone from Cincinnati.

Police said they were monitoring activity to see if any incidents would occur.

“Unfortunately, they showed up in the area,” Todd said.

The vehicles seen in the areas had license plates indicating they were both local and out-of-town vehicles.

According to Todd, incidents like this have occurred in several major cities. She said it may have been part of a social media trend.

“This is more than a traffic problem. These are serious crimes,” Todd said.

Officials said they are continuing to work to identify those people involved.

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