CLEVELAND, OH — A 13-year-old boy was killed Tuesday evening in a shooting on the city's West Side, according to the Cleveland Division of Police.
It happened shortly before 5:30 p.m. in the 3800 block of Riverside Avenue, just east of West 39th Street.
Witnesses reported hearing a single gunshot echo through the streets just after 5pm.
"I didn't think anything of it because we always have gunshots going off in our neighborhood now," said Marilyn Harber, who has lived nearby for 50 years.
The boy, later identified as Javier Smith Santiago by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Harber said that the neighborhood used to be quiet, and everyone knew each other. But now, the street has become a scary place to live and residents have a sense of unease.
And now, a child is dead— it's a reality she wants to see change. She wants city leaders to do something about gun violence so teens stop losing their lives.
"It makes me sad because I've got teenage grandchildren. Makes me worry for them," Harber said.
Police haven't provided any additional information regarding the shooting or if they have any suspects.
