CLEVELAND — An 18-year-old man has been indicted for the fatal shooting of two teens earlier this month.
According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, the defendant, Phoenix Brown, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder, four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, receiving stolen property, tampering with evidence and having weapons while under disability.
He's accused of killing 17-year-old Khalyn White of Cleveland and 16-year-old Julius Barron Jr. of Bedford on Jan. 14.
Cleveland police said a black 2020 KIA Soul was reported missing near Lee Road and Harvard Avenue in Cleveland on Jan.12. On Jan.14, around 1 a.m., Cleveland police and EMS received a call for the same stolen KIA Soul that crashed into a utility pole near Warner Road and Jeffries Avenue.
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The prosecutor's office said officers found White and Barron inside the vehicle. They had both been shot in the head; they were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said that while officers were on the scene, they saw Brown try to run for it. Police chased him and arrested him; his clothes were covered in blood.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley said violent crimes are a problem in the community, and criminals must face the consequences for their crimes.
“The amount of violence committed by young people is plaguing our community,” said O’Malley. “We need to hold violent criminals accountable for their actions, and with this indictment today, my office is doing just that.”
An arraignment date hasn't been set.
