On 29 November 2012, Malissa Williams (Age 30) and Timothy Russell (Age 43) were killed by Cleveland police after a 22-minute car chase that began downtown and ended at Heritage Middle School in East Cleveland.
Two unarmed black people were murdered by Cleveland Police.
Thirteen Cleveland officers fired 137 bullets at the suspects. The incident is chronicled in a new Netflix documentary titled “137 Shots” which premieres on the streaming service Wednesday, 15 December 2021.
The film ‘137 Shots‘ is directed by Michael Milano which features interviews with Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir Rice, former prosecutor Timothy McGinty and former Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Steve Loomis, among others.
137 Shots Cleveland Video
29 November 2012, Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell were murdered after a crosstown car chase with Cleveland Police from downtown to East Cleveland. Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell were unarmed and were fired at 137 times by multiple officers and those bullets resulted in their death. Officer who shot at them directly head on (out of policy) was acquitted of 2 counts of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in 2015. 6 officers were fired for dereliction of duty in January 2016.
137 Shots Case Paul
Paul Wilson and other officers faced dereliction of duty charges.
137 Shots Judge
John P. O’Donnell
On 23 May 2015, Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge John P. O’Donnell found Michael Brelo not guilty of the charges. Officer Michael Brelo was found not guilty of manslaughter for the fatal shootings of two unarmed African Americans in their car.
In November 2012, Brelo was one of 13 officers who fired 137 rounds at Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams after a chase which began when officers mistook a backfiring car for gunshots. Officer Brelo personally fired 49 shots, at least 15 of them at point-blank range through the windshield after he climbed onto the hood of the car.
Judge John O’Donnell said he can’t prove Belo shot the fatal bullets, since 12 other officers also opened fire. O’Donnell also said Brelo had grounds to fear for his safety.
On 26 January 2016, Six Officers – Wilfredo Diaz, Brian Sabolik, Erin O’Donnell, Michael Farley, Chris Ereg and Michael Brelo were fired from their jobs by the Cleveland Police. The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association said that they would work to get the six reinstated to their positions. Five of the six officers were reinstated in October 2017 as required by the ruling of an arbitrator.