CLEVELAND — We've heard from law enforcement as to what allegedly happened in a West 117th parking lot that killed a man Wednesday afternoon, and now we're hearing a different story from that man's family.
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Cleveland Police Chief Annie Todd said preliminary information indicates that officers assigned to a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)/Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) task force were conducting a narcotics investigation. At approximately 4:29 p.m., they encountered 47-year-old Andre Martin, who produced a knife, prompting two officers to discharge their service weapons, per Todd.
Cleveland Police, alongside members of the Medina County Sheriff's Office, held a Thursday afternoon press conference where reporter questions were addressed, but little information was provided due the the investigation being in its early stages.
The two task force members at the center of this investigation are Medina County Sheriff's deputies, according to Todd. They were reportedly in plain clothes, but wearing vests that identified them as law enforcement at the time of the shooting.
"This task force has been [around for] at least two years, maybe longer, and it is about bulk narcotics, so it's focused on Cuyahoga County and Medina County. We're a partner in that and that's why we're up here," Medina County Sheriff Terry Grice said during a press conference Thursday.
Todd was asked whether Martin was a suspect or a source in the narcotics investigation. She wasn't able to say.
"No one ever wants to be put in this position. No one wants to do this...it's such a small number and I think a lot of times people think this is a regular occurrence, and it's not, thankfully. Thankfully, our officers and deputies were safe," Grice added.
Cleveland Police said it expects the body camera footage of the shooting to be released next week.
Regardless of what that footage shows, Martin's oldest daughter and mother said they want to see it.
"I know my son's no angel. I know he was a low-level level maybe drug dealer here and there or whatever, but my thing is don't get mad that you would rather kill him because you couldn't catch him and that’s what you did," Martin's mom, Ronda, told me on Friday.
Ronda said between the information she's been provided by alleged witnesses and Cleveland Police Homicide Detectives, she doesn't believe the story law enforcement has given.
"Anybody that knows my son knows that if he was defending himself with that knife you're going to the ICU so I know he wasn't trying to hurt that officer," Ronda stated.
Ronda claims her son was shot 15 times and left lying in the parking lot for hours after his death.
"They didn't have to gun my child down like a dog and [leave] him laid up in the street for hours," she added. "I think they murdered my son in broad open daylight and [they're] trying to cover it up."
Martin's family said they didn't even know about the shooting or Martin's involvement until it started circulating on social media.
"When it hit social media, that's what made me call. That's when they said they would send some detectives out here. That was about 9 p.m. on Wednesday," Ronda said.
Ronda told me three Cleveland Police Homicide Detectives showed up on her property this week, and one said only one Medina County Sheriff's deputy shot Martin.
I asked the Cleveland Police Department about Ronda's claims. A spokesperson said, "We are not able to discuss/comment on an active investigation.”
Martin's family said the autopsy on his body was complete on Thursday, but they have yet to see him, nor had any of their questions answered.
"I want to know their findings. I want to know everything they know," Ronda said.
The two Medina County Sheriff's deputies accused of fatally shooting Martin are on paid administrative leave as the investigation continues.
"It's been a long 24 hours," Ronda said. "Those officers are at home with their feet kicked up."
"What do you want to see happen to those officers?," I asked Ronda.
"Whatever can happen to them to the limits of the law," she responded.
Martin's oldest daughter, Audrey said, "We just want justice for my dad and make sure that things are done correctly because there's nothing that anyone can do or say that's ever going to change this feeling and the emotions that we feel and now we have to learn life without my father being here. Oo it's just one of those things where it's unfortunate. I wish it could have been something different. I wish they could have handled the situation better."
I also asked Ronda and Audrey if they believed Martin had absolutely nothing to do with the narcotics investigation being conducted at the West 117th Street location.
"I think he was just shopping at Staples," Audrey said. "Regardless of whatever people might think it may be, he didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve to be taken away from his family, especially somebody that’s not armed."
While this family waits for answers, they're remembering him as a funny, well-respected man who was also a "good father."
"That was my best friend," Ronda said of her only child. "I'm going to keep fighting for you, dude. Right or wrong from the cradle to the grave."
Martin's family said he owned his own construction company and online clothing line.
The family held a balloon release for Martin Friday night on West 25th Street.
