CLEVELAND (WJW) — On the surface, it looked like the perfect Fourth of July scene: grills fired up, ribs flipping over open flames and families gathered under the sun.
But beneath the celebration, unease lingers.
Early Thursday morning, a shooting at Euclid Beach Park left one man dead and another injured. And on Friday, the person responsible is still on the run.
“This is the second shooting since I’ve been here,” said Jimmie Gore, who lives in the high-rise apartment building next to the beach. “I’ve been waiting 10 years to get in here. I’m finally here and I’m at peace.”
Gore said he and his wife had just gone inside when they heard gunshots; then they spotted flashing lights.
“Heard some shooting and turned around and seen a whole lot of fire trucks and police,” he said.
Police said a group of young people had gathered at Euclid Beach shortly after midnight when an argument turned violent. Gunfire erupted, killing one man and injuring another. The suspect fled the scene.
Investigators released grainy surveillance photos, but so far: no name, no arrest.
By Friday, Euclid Beach had returned to normal: families enjoying the warm weather, kids playing in the sand, laughter echoing above the waves.
But just below the surface, that sense of peace is harder to find.
“But now all this is happening,” Gore said. “You don’t know what is going on today in this world.”
He called the lakefront his oasis — a place to clear his head and find calm. He hopes it can stay that way.
“I love these peoples,” he said. “I love coming out here because my mind is relaxed.”
Cleveland police are urging anyone who was in the area that night to come forward — no matter how small the detail may seem.
Crime Stoppers is also offering a $5,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest.
