CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police are investigating after a man was found shot in the head steps away from Public Square.
News 5 stayed just past the crime tape and followed Cleveland Police as they swarmed a Downtown bus stop.
Officers responded to the corner of East Roadway and Superior just before 1 a.m. Friday.
Cleveland EMS confirmed that 36-year-old Juan Rampon Ruiz Lopez was found with multiple gunshot wounds following some sort of incident there.
Emergency responders then rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment. Lopez died three days later.
After a preliminary investigation was conducted, Cleveland Police found that the person who shot the 36-year-old was involved in an aggravated robbery nearby.
The person allegedly stole a vehicle from a 31-year-old man at gunpoint, then fled the area with the stolen vehicle, Cleveland Police said.
The stolen vehicle has since been recovered, but no arrests have been made, Cleveland Police said. The 31-year-old sustained minor injuries from the robbery.
Our overnight news photographer saw nearly a dozen evidence markers in the area scattered along the sidewalk.
Alexa, who declined to share her last name, told News 5 that a trip to visit family across town was halted overnight because of the shooting.
“We got swarmed by a bunch of policemen. And then we looked and we saw the victim, covered in blood on the ground,” she recalled.
Another shooting at Public Square made headlines in late 2023. In November, two teens were shot there during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
RELATED: New video shows chaos after Cleveland Public Square shooting; calls for more protection
A teen turned himself in for that shooting.
“It’s crazy that this stuff happens right in Public Square,” Alexa said.
Others told News 5 that the violence makes them extra vigilant downtown.
“I feel pretty safe, but you’ve got to be aware,” said commuter Mike Doss.
Another commuter added, “It’s a shame because I’d love to come down here and do more, but unfortunately I can’t.”
Despite several violent incidents near Public Square in recent months, Downtown Cleveland, Inc. said the neighborhood is relatively safe and increasingly popular.
“If you were able to look at a microcosm of Cleveland’s core, we’re probably the safest neighborhood out of most,” said Ed Eckart, the Senior VP of Operations at Downtown Cleveland, Inc.
He said the organization is focused both on improving safety statistics and creating an environment downtown that feels safe and welcoming.
“We look at our deployment, kind of as a force multiplier with the city,” Eckart said.
Downtown Cleveland, Inc. uses safety specialists who are trained to diffuse situations, address individuals experiencing mental health issues and act as a uniformed presence downtown.
“The safety specialists actually have routes that they patrol on a regular basis," explained Eckart.
In February 2024, the group provided 22 safety escorts and nearly 800 security checks.
Additionally, downtown ambassadors regularly walk around the neighborhood, picking up litter and providing information as a sort of roaming concierge.
The organization said the ambassadors collected 45,300 pounds of trash and provided more than 1,230 hospitality assists last month.
With several major events in the months ahead, like the NCAA Women's Final Four and the upcoming total solar eclipse, Downtown Cleveland is also planning to amp up its safety initiatives.
“Most importantly is the communication and collaboration with the city,” said Eckart, explaining the organization is in regular contact with police and other downtown groups.
He said while instances of violence happen on occasion, the majority are isolated.
“It’s rare and few and far between. And those [incidents] that have happened, once they were solved there was a connection identified,” he said. “Certainly one is unacceptable, but when you really step back and look at the overall level of crime throughout the city, downtown is safe.”
Cleveland Police are still investigating the overnight shooting. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Third District Detective Bureau at 216-623-5318.
Stay with News 5 for the latest breaking developments.
