VALLEY VIEW, Ohio — A man was fatally shot Thursday morning in Valley View near the Brecksville Road and Granger Road interchange, according to Valley View Police Chief David Niro.
Niro said officers responded to the overpass and found 41-year-old Christopher Andexler with serious gunshot wounds.
EMS transported Andexler to a nearby hospital for treatment, but he died from his injuries.
Investigators said a suspect vehicle drove off from the scene and crashed on Schaaf Road in Brooklyn Heights. A man and woman both ran from the crashed car.
“We were coming from 21 to Schaaf Road and first thing I saw was big, black smoke clouds. Something’s on fire,” said Madi W.
The News 5 viewer shared video of what would become a second scene in the investigation and a man being handcuffed by officers. A woman was also taken into custody.
Madi said the heavy smoke was coming from the suspect's flaming vehicle. Police confirmed two young children, ages four and two, were in the vehicle when it crashed.
Both children were reportedly uninjured and are now with child protective services.
A separate witness who declined an interview told News 5 he saw the shooting happen while he was on his to drop his daughter off at daycare.
The Cleveland man said he saw a large, gray work van and a small white crossover SUV pull over on Brecksville Road. Both drivers got out of the vehicles and briefly argued before the shots were fired.
The witness said he and others stopped to render first aid and call 911.
“Five minutes earlier, I could’ve been right in the middle of it … or even three minutes earlier,” said Madi, who explained she was driving on Brecksville Road moments before the shooting.
She said the shooting close to home was alarming.
"Yeah, it is," she said. "Just being at the wrong place at the wrong time—anybody could’ve been there.”
Valley View Police said they've interviewed witnesses and the two people in custody to get a clearer picture of what led to the shooting. The work van, driven by the victim, had a camera on its dashboard that investigators are also reviewing.
The Ohio BCI is assisting Valley View Police in the investigation.
