Suspects In Custody After Waterbury Avenue Shooting
Residents in the neighborhood were concerned about the "suspicious activity" at the home, which was about to be cited for being a nuisance.
All the suspects believed to be involved in Friday night's fatal shooting on Waterbury Avenue are in police custody.
Charles Wilson, 17, was killed in the shooting at 2051 Waterbury Ave. Friday night, and 20-year-old Frederick Burt was hospitalized for treatment of a gunshot wound.
The home at 2051 Waterbury Ave. was no stranger to Lakewood Police. In fact, there had been enough calls to the duplex that the city was about to file a nuisance complaint against the landlord.
Witnesses said the shooting was the result of a violent robbery, however police have not confirmed that information.
The two men were shot at the residence at 9:30 p.m. during a party, said witnesses who asked not to be identified for this story.
They said an armed man attending the party at the second-floor apartment shot at the men before fleeing the scene.
“Several individuals have been arrested in relation to this case,” according to a news release from the Lakewood Police Department. Only one gun was confiscated during the investigation, according to the release.
Wilson was shot and killed inside the second floor apartment. Burt was shot in the leg while in the driveway of the duplex, just south of Madison Avenue. He was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where his condition is not known.
The Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office didn’t return calls Saturday afternoon to offer comment on the coroner's investigation.
Kevin Guzay, a Waterbury Avenue resident, said he’s lived on the street for two years. He’s noticed some drug activity on the street.
“Mostly it’s quiet,” he said. “This is the worst thing that’s happened around here. I grew up in Lakewood. I still feel pretty safe here.”
It’s a different story for another resident of Waterbury Avenue.
A neighbor, who lives near the shooting but asked that his name not be used for this story, has been concerned about the activity at his neighbor’s house. He’s complained to the police “several” times about suspicious behavior at the home.
“There’s constantly people coming and going from there,” he said. “I didn’t feel safe. It was only a matter of time before something happened.”
On Friday night, he was watching TV when he heard at least three gunshots from the home across the street at around 9:30 p.m.
Lakewood law director Kevin Butler said there have been “enough police visits to the home to warrant a nuisance violation” against the landlord.
The landlord, Equity Trust Co., couldn’t be reached for comment.
"This is a very unusual event for Lakewood — we haven't had an event like this in many years," said Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers on Friday night. “This is a discouraging thing to happen in any neighborhood."
Sonny Yereb
6:26 pm on Saturday, January 7, 2012
How many complaints constitutes a citation by the city? 1,3,5 or 20? Funny how they were just about to cite them. Quit being so lenient on these slum lords!!!
common sense
12:45 am on Monday, January 9, 2012
You are so correct. We have 2 vacant properties on our street and the landlord took out 2nd and 3rd mortgages on them to build his big McMansion in Medina. These houses have been an eyesore for 6 years. The city should get on all of the slum lords.
Stop slapping them on the wrist with a $25 fine here or there, seize their other assets until the properties are brought up to code.
Susan Ruiz Patton
7:43 pm on Sunday, January 8, 2012
A comment on this story was deleted because it included profanity. Let's keep it clean, folks.
stephanie kahl
8:51 pm on Sunday, January 8, 2012
they are great landlords it was the police never helped the mother out for two years to control the kids when she tried how is any of it their fault the cops let the kids rule the house thats why the mother moved out after the last one turned 18 they had more rights then her and she was the soul caregiver paying all the bills not them so this seems to be police issues not landlord issues they once again are great people
common sense
12:50 am on Monday, January 9, 2012
stephanie, you probably think raising children is everyone else's job except for the birth parents. I'm sure you are one that believes it is the teacher's fault if the child is failing, that the police need to discipline the children, and that single mom's are entitled. WAKE UP GIRL! It is the parent(s) responsibility. Stop making excuses for the woman. She wasn't a mother, she was just there. It takes a lot to be a parent other than making babies.
common sense
12:51 am on Monday, January 9, 2012
the mother abandoned the children way before they turned 18 by not giving them consequences for their actions/activities. Just pop out kids and let them do whatever they want. why was the mother the one to move out? she should have kicked these brats out of her house when they turned 18. don't fault the police, FAULT THE ABSENTEE MOTHER!
Alex Vandehoff
8:10 am on Monday, January 9, 2012
Stephanie, you cannot be serious! It's the fault of the LPD because they didn't raise someone's children? Wow.
Did the mother ever report her children for criminal activity? That's the only out you have in that insane comment.
Is it also the fault of the police that you cannot construct proper sentences?