CLEVELAND — A Northeast Ohio man said he was just doing his job when all of a sudden shots rang out, and bullets were coming right at him. He spoke exclusively with the News 5 Investigators, saying he’s upset with the lack of emergency response after something so dangerous could have killed him.
“So, it was my last rider of the night,” said the man, who fears retaliation, so we agreed not to share his name.
He told us on Aug. 9 around 1:30 a.m. he was driving on Green Road near Ridgehill on Cleveland’s east side when he saw six to eight kids standing on a corner.
"They looked like they were in grade school,” said the victim. “I’m not even kidding. Like maybe 13, somewhere in that range.”
Then, out of nowhere, he heard something odd.
"Sounded like firecrackers at first. That’s what I thought it was,” said the driver. “But it was several rounds. It was like an automatic, semi-automatic weapon, about 15 shots, I would think.”
His car ended up with at least five bullet holes, including one through the driver’s door. With his lap full of glass from his window, he said somehow neither he nor his passenger was hit.
He said he called 911.
"We were put on hold for like five minutes ... you know?” said the victim. “We never even spoke to 911. I actually had to get on Euclid Avenue and cut off a cop and flag him down.”
He filed a report with Cleveland Police in the 5th District. We filed a public records request for the 911 call, but so far we have not received it. We asked police for an on-camera interview. They sent a response saying it’s an ongoing investigation.
The victim said he’s frustrated by the lack of progress on the case so far, especially after what cops told him that night.
"They said I was lucky that someone was looking after me because of where that bullet was located,” said the driver.
He hopes you have information that can lead to those responsible for the shots that also put him out of work, because his new 2025 car is waiting to be repaired after bullets ripped through wires, the radiator, and more.
"This isn’t something that should be happening to anybody for no reason, just random shooting at a car,” said the victim. “I’m just disappointed in our town.”
