CLEVELAND, Ohio — A Northeast Ohio crisis nursery is calling for stronger safety measures after gunfire struck its East Campus multiple times during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Leaders at Providence House say children and staff were inside the facility at East 118th Street and Buckeye Road when gunfire erupted outside.
While no one was hurt, the nonprofit says the violence has left families and employees shaken and prompted a renewed push for additional security upgrades.
"Please be respectful. Please understand that we are protecting this community’s children here. Don’t shoot at us," Natalie Leek, Providence House President and CEO, said. “Zero tolerance for the violence.”
Leek said the incidents happened during what she described as an out-of-control street takeover over the holiday weekend.
She said large crowds gathered nearby before gunfire broke out, sending people running.
“We had two nights over the holiday weekend,” Leek said. “Unfortunately, we had folks that were fleeing from the gunfire that started to climb on our fences and security gates.”
News 5 cameras captured damage both outside and inside the East Campus, including a boarded-up window, bullet holes in the drywall, and damage to security fencing and gates.
Sadie Owens, Providence House’s Crisis Nursery Director, said the shooting was especially unsettling because one of the damaged areas is where children regularly eat meals, play and color.
“Thankfully it was at night, early morning,” Owens said. “But what do you say to that? It’s terrifying. I immediately thought about if a child wanted a drink of water or needed to get up. They could have been in this space and could have been injured.”
Owens said staff immediately moved to protect the children, keeping them calm while the gunfire continued outside.
“My immediate feeling was just fear and so much grief and sadness for them,” she said.
Leek praised employees for their quick response.
“They did not alarm the children at all,” Leek said. “They simply said it was the fireworks for the Fourth of July.”
When Providence House opened its multi-million-dollar East Campus in 2025, leaders said they anticipated potential safety challenges in the neighborhood and installed reinforced walls and shatter-resistant windows.
Following the latest violence, the nonprofit now plans to expand security with additional surveillance cameras, fencing alarms, bullet-resistant glass and other protective measures.
Leek says the upgrades will be costly.
“It’s going to be significant,” she said. “It will probably be somewhere between $100,000 to $200,000 to do all of the work that we need to do.”
News 5 reached out to Cleveland Police for more information regarding the status of the case.
A spokesperson confirmed officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert just after midnight on Friday, July 3, near the 2800 block of East 118th Street.
Officers found several spent shell casings and later responded to Providence House after a report of property damage.
According to CPD, their preliminary investigation determined a single bullet struck a window, damaging the window shade and drywall inside the building.
They say the Crime Scene Unit processed the scene, and no injuries were reported.
Cleveland Police say the investigation is ongoing and that additional damage could be identified as investigators continue their work.
Providence House, which says it is 80% privately funded, is asking the community to help cover the costs of repairs and enhanced security through donations.
To support their safety upgrades and give back, click here.
