CLEVELAND, Ohio — A quiet Thursday night in East Cleveland erupted into chaos and tragedy after a gunman fatally shot two family members, then opened fire on two police officers during a violent crime spree that spanned multiple locations and lasted into the early morning hours.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Aaron Sharp, 23, of East Cleveland, who was captured around 8:30 a.m. Friday on Euclid Avenue near Shaw High School. Law enforcement sources say Sharp’s arrest came after a tense standoff, during which he reportedly lunged at a federal marshal before being subdued. He now faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder and felonious assault on a police officer.
The deadly sequence of events began just after 11:00 p.m. Thursday, when East Cleveland police responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at a home in the 1900 block of North Taylor Road. As soon as Officer Joshua Durba, 37, arrived on the scene, he was met with a hail of gunfire and struck outside the residence. Backup units rushed in and later discovered a gruesome scene inside — two individuals, both fatally shot, believed to be related to the suspect. Authorities are withholding their identities until family notifications are complete.
The violence didn’t end there. In the early hours of Friday morning — at about 1:00 a.m. — during an active manhunt, Officer Brandon Hernandez was shot near the intersection of Euclid Avenue and North Taylor Road. The shooting is believed to be connected to Sharp’s continued attempts to evade capture.
Both wounded officers were rushed to University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, where they remain in stable condition. East Cleveland Mayor Lateek Shabazz praised the bravery of his officers, calling the incident “a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement faces daily” and thanking the multiple agencies that assisted in the overnight operation.
The hours that followed saw an intense city-wide search, with heavily armed tactical teams, drones, and K-9 units sweeping neighborhoods. Residents were urged to shelter in place as the suspect, described as “armed and extremely dangerous,” remained on the loose.
By sunrise, law enforcement had cornered Sharp, leading to his eventual arrest. Investigators from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and federal authorities are now piecing together the motive behind the killings and the violent confrontation with police.
The East Cleveland community is left shaken, mourning the loss of two lives and rallying around its injured officers. The mayor has promised that “justice will be swift and severe” for what he described as “one of the most disturbing acts of violence in our city’s recent history.