CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — On Friday afternoon, Cleveland Heights officials offered some details about the police shooting that left an 18-year-old man dead last night in the 1300 block of Yellowstone Road.
"This is a tragedy no matter when it happens or to whom," said Mayor Kahlil Seren, who offered his condolences to the family of Christian Alexander Tyson Thomas.
Watch the full press conference:
Cleveland Heights Police Chief Christopher Britton said officers were dispatched to the home to check on reports of a "disturbance" between a father and a son involving a handgun.
The son was later identified as Christian Alexander Tyson Thomas.
What the argument was about and the circumstances leading up to it are unknown at this time, but Britton said police were told Thomas was holding the gun with his finger on the trigger, and one shot had been fired inside the home before police arrival.
When police arrived on the scene, Britton said officers met with two females outside of the home who said Thomas was armed. Officers said they heard Thomas's father tell him repeatedly to take his finger off the trigger.
Britton said at one point, officers saw Thomas standing in the doorway with a gun in his hand.
After "several minutes" on the scene, Britton said officers heard what they described as a loud crash and a single gunshot from inside the home.
"The scenario was nothing short of intense," said Britton.
Cleveland Heights officers say Thomas exited the home holding a gun, Britton said. Outside the home, three officers fired their weapons and struck Thomas. Body-camera footage that would allow News 5 to review what exactly transpired has not yet been made available.
Neighbor Eileen Simmons told News 5, "From a distance you heard kind of a pop and the next thing you know there was a barrage of fire going off, like a lot. We literally were on the ground. We took cover. We got on the ground because we didn’t know what was happening."
Britton said officers rendered first aid, but Thomas died on the scene.
It is unclear how many shots were fired or how many times Thomas was struck, but News 5's overnight photographer saw 22 evidence markers on the ground at the scene.
Officer involved shooting in Cleveland Hts late Thursday night. BCI on scene processing a large scene between two homes on Yellowstone RD. I can see evidence markers up to number 22 in two yards. Chief was on scene for a short time and moved the media back but refused to talk. pic.twitter.com/uDZzajPdX0
— Mike Vielhaber (@MVielhaber) August 30, 2024
Britton said no officers or bystanders were injured.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation agency said it was requested by the Cleveland Heights Police Department to investigate the shooting.
#BREAKING Ohio BCI responding to officer-involved shooting along Yellowstone Road in Cleveland Hts neighborhood, according to Mayor. Medical Examiner on scene. We just confirmed an 18-year-old has died. Following up with investigators. Stay with @WEWS Good Morning #Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/OOqX8Emv0a
— Mike Holden (@MikeHoldenNews) August 30, 2024
Britton said he has briefly reviewed some of the body camera footage. News 5 asked if he saw Thomas pointing the gun at officers. Britton said, "[In] the brief video I observed, I did not observe that."
News 5 also asked if Britton saw Thomas holding a gun while reviewing the body camera footage.
"I did not see that from what I saw," Britton said.
What's known about Thomas
Mayor Seren said that Thomas was a spelling bee champion who attended Monticello Middle School and played sports and musical instruments. He is a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School.
