Cleveland police shoot suspect after he allegedly drags officer during traffic stop

CLEVELAND - A Cleveland police officer shot and wounded a suspect at 9:50 p.m. Monday night after investigators said his partner was dragged by the suspect’s car.

The ordeal started at East 85th Street and Wade Park Avenue, where officers from the third district pulled over a car for a traffic violation.

When the officers approached the car, they said they could smell a strong odor of PCP coming from it, according to Cleveland Police Spokesman Sgt. Sammy Morris. The officers said they asked the driver repeatedly for his driver’s license, and he refused to comply with their orders.

The officers said they then asked the driver to exit his vehicle and the man again refused to listen, according to Morris. The suspect motioned with his arm, causing one of the officers to hit the suspect with his Taser.

According to Morris, the Taser had no effect on the suspect, and that's when the officer tried to pull him from the car.

The suspect, according to Morris, then drove off and dragged the officer a short distance -- less than 100 feet. The other officer opened fire on the car, shattering the back window as the suspect drove away.

Both officers were able to return to their car and chase the driver to East 71st Street and Linwood Avenue, where the suspect was arrested.

Once he was in custody, the officers discovered that the suspect had been shot once in the arm and was also grazed in the head.

The suspect was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center to be treated for his injuries and should make a full recovery. Neither police officers were injured.

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