East Cleveland detectives, BCI officials questioning 13 Cleveland officers involved in fatal chase

CLEVELAND - East Cleveland's police chief says three to four Cleveland officers involved in the chase turned deadly double shooting are being questioned daily.

East Cleveland, along with BCI officials, hope to have all questioning wrapped up by Friday. Chief Spotts said eight officers have already be interviewed and there are five to go. He added that all officers are cooperating.

One of the main issues the departments have is why 137 rounds were fired, at what the family of one victim and radio traffic indicates were two unarmed people. Twenty three bullets struck 43-year-old Timothy Russell and 24 bullets hit 30-year-old Malissa Williams, killing both.

The chase began outside the Justice Center in downtown when an officer, along with a security guard, thought they heard gunfire from the car Russell and Williams, who police said was homeless, were in.

Russell's family questions whether the noise heard was the car backfiring and not gunshots, as they maintain their loved one never owned a gun and wanted to be a minister.

The ordeal ended behind Heritage Middle School in East Cleveland.

Cleveland police named the 13 officers involved in the incident earlier this week and released the radio traffic during the 22-minute chase to the media. At least one of them had been involved in a serious altercation before.

It remains unclear why Russell and Williams were running from the police and how the two knew each other.

NewsChannel5 learned Tuesday night that Russell ran from the cops one year ago during a routine traffic stop in Willowick.