ReportWire

Tag: I-Team

  • Terminated Fire Cadets accuse FDNY of bait and switch

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    They spent two years in the FDNY’s Fire Cadet program, training to become New York City firefighters. Now five Cadet graduates say the department has turned its back on them, issuing termination letters after a rushed effort to re-classify the young men as Emergency Medical Service Trainees.

    “It was either become an EMT, or resign,” said Shamar Greene, one of the terminated Cadets. “We never signed up to be EMTs.”

    In an exclusive interview with the I-Team, the five Cadet graduates said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker’s decision to change their titles – just before their two-year contracts ended — amounted to a broken promise. 

    “I felt disappointed, disappointed totally, because they made a promise to me and to the other guys,” said Juan Osorno, one of the terminated Cadets.

    Osorno’s termination letter says he was fired because he did not clear a medical exam needed to accept the new EMS Trainee title. But he says that failure was only because the process was rushed and he was unable to schedule the medical exam in time.

    “We had two weeks to do a whole medical process that usually takes 3 months,” Greene said.

    Green told the I-Team he was terminated because he failed to pass the EMS Trainee written exam, but he said the FDNY rushed the prep process for that test as well.

    “I’m still confused about it because I don’t know where my life is going,” Osorno said.

    According to the FDNY, a total of 15 Fire Cadets were issued termination letters despite having graduated the program this past summer. Another 68 Cadets successfully obtained the clearances needed to accept temporary EMS Trainee titles. Of those re-classified Cadets, 45 have already transitioned back to the fire service, finding spots in the October Fire Academy class, according to an FDNY spokesperson.

    Commissioner Tucker defended his decision to upend the Cadet class, arguing the program was “ill-conceived” under his predecessor because the end of the Cadets’ contracts were not timed with a scheduled Fire Academy class. 

    “The two-year contract that these Cadets entered into didn’t coincide with the start of the fire class, and so there was going to be a gap.  And in that gap they were all going to be terminated,” Tucker said.

    But former Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, who launched the Cadet class in 2023, suggested the creation of a “gap” in the Cadets’ service time was a self-inflicted problem.  

    “This program has contingencies to prevent exactly this from happening,” Kavanagh wrote in a statement to the I-Team. “I worry the commissioner was misled by a small group in the FDNY who never wanted these cadets to succeed. I know the commissioner believes in the goals of the initiative. For the sake of these cadets and the future of the FDNY, I hope he revisits the decision.”

    Tucker did not respond directly to Kavanagh’s statement, but suggested his decision to re-classify the Cadets ended up preserving FDNY jobs for the vast majority of graduates, even if a handful of them were terminated because they were unable to meet new and unexpected requirements.

    “If we’re talking about one or two individuals who fit in that category,” Tucker said, “then it’s possible we could have done better. But what I am tasked with as the 35th New York City Fire Commissioner is dealing with the totality of the Department — and the whole Department. And I think in this case we made lemonade out of lemons.”

    The FDNY Fire Cadet program was intended to help diversify the ranks, providing an alternative to the competitive hiring track that federal courts have found under-represents minority applicants. 

    According to FDNY data from last month, about 62% of New York City firefighters are white.  Meanwhile, 2020 Census data shows about 31% of New York City’s overall population is white.  

    In a recent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion report, the FDNY wrote that the goal of the two-year program was “having eligible Cadets enter Probationary Firefighter School upon completion of the Fire Cadet Academy.”  

    It’s not clear if the 15 terminated Cadets have any recourse. Several of them told the I-Team they are considering their legal options.

    Juan Osorno said he believed graduating the Fire Cadet program was a clear path to follow in the footsteps of his father, who served as a firefighter in their native country of Colombia. He and the other terminated Cadets are now pleading with the FDNY to reconsider.

    “I’ve wanted this since I was a kid, honestly,” Osorno said.  “That was my whole dream and it’s still my dream.”

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    Chris Glorioso

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  • Former City Hall staffer pens book about ‘hidden relationship’ with Eric Adams

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    Six years before Eric Adams became mayor of New York City, he was romancing a woman he would later hire to be one of his own City Hall staffers. 

    “I mean there was a moment where he was like, ‘yeah, you’re going to be my wife,’” recalled Jasmine Ray, the author of the forthcoming book, “Political Humanity,” which details what she called her “hidden relationship” with Adams.

    Ray sat down with the NBC New York I-Team for her first TV interview since stepping down as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sports, Wellness, and Recreation. She said continues to have a friendship with the mayor, but her physical relationship with Adams lasted only about six months and ended by the beginning of 2016.   

    “He ended it,” she said. “In front of him, I said OK. And then I went to my car and I was boo-hooing like a baby,” Ray said.

    Contacted by the I-Team, Kayla Mamelak, a City Hall spokesperson, confirmed Ray and Adams had a personal relationship about a decade ago. But she stressed there had been no romantic engagements since the two started working together at City Hall.

    In an advance copy of the book, provided by Ray, she writes fondly of Adams, suggesting the embattled mayor is a “flawed hero” who was unfairly damaged by a thin corruption case brought by the Biden Department of Justice and later withdrawn by prosecutors appointed by President Trump.

    “When the 58-page indictment dropped, full of accusations about airline upgrades and straw donations, the charges themselves were relatively minor,” Ray wrote. “The press didn’t present them that way.”

    Ray also writes about her own role as a reluctant witness in the federal investigation that dogged her boss. 

    In one passage, she details the mayor pulling her aside on October 10, 2024, and warning her about federal agents who might be monitoring her.

    “You’re on a short list of people that have frequent contact with me. I just want you to be aware,” she wrote, quoting Adams.

    Once investigators began contacting her, she said her life became traumatic.

    “From October 2024 to March 2025, my life was hell,” Ray wrote. “I was subpoenaed four times, interrogated repeatedly, and gained 20 pounds from the stress.”

    Despite writing that one of her lawyers viewed her as a “star witness” in the case against Adams, Ray said she remains perplexed about how any of the information she provided could have implicated her boss and former lover in any sort of criminal activity. Though prosecutors charged Adams with trading political favors in return for more than $100,000 in travel upgrades, Ray said she’s not sure the alleged conduct rose to the level of criminality — even if it was in bad taste.

    “I don’t know if it’s illegal. I think it’s up to a judge to decide. I don’t know,” she said. “But it was tacky.”

    Adams has denied wrongdoing related to federal corruption investigations and his lawyer suggested the travel perks were nothing more than courtesies that airlines and hotels offer to all sorts of notable people. 

    Last year, the I-Team first reported on Jasmine Ray, revealing she not only worked as a staffer for the mayor, but that Adams also obtained a conflict of interest waiver allowing Ray to have a second job as a consultant for Brooklyn’s Cornerstone Daycare, a childcare facility that has city contracts. City Hall defended the arrangement, saying Ray’s dual role showed her ability to lead a government office while also serving youth outside her public capacity.

    Ray resigned her post in City Hall two days before Adams announced a suspension of his re-election campaign. She defended her record of accomplishments, including advocating to allow non-educators to coach public school athletic teams.

    “We’re saying if you are Michael Jordan or Derek Jeter, you can’t even volunteer to coach our high school kids.  That’s ridiculous,” Ray said.

    In closing her book, she makes a broader appeal that the public should look beyond headlines and recognize politicians as vulnerable people who shouldn’t be defined by perceived mistakes.

    “I wrote this book because I believe we need a new way forward—beyond cancel culture—toward something closer to accountability with compassion,” Ray wrote. “Political Humanity isn’t about power or perception. It’s about choosing to see the person beneath the title, the headline, the mistake.”

    “Political Humanity” is scheduled to be released as an e-book or audio book on Oct. 5.

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    Chris Glorioso

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  • I-Team: Cleveland officers involved in shooting

    I-Team: Cleveland officers involved in shooting

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    [See violent crime statistics in the player above.]

    CLEVELAND (WJW) — Cleveland police union President Andy Gasiewski confirmed to the FOX 8 I-Team that officers were involved in a shooting Monday evening.

    Gasiewski said the shooting happened in the 3000 block of Denison Avenue. That’s near the West 31st Street intersection.

    Police sources told the I-Team one suspect was detained and taken to the hospital. A second suspect is still at-large.

    One of the suspects fired on officers, and four officers returned fire, according to sources.

    No police officers were injured.

    Check back here for updates on this developing story.

    [ad_2] Ed Gallek
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  • New award honors 2 local officers killed in the line of duty

    New award honors 2 local officers killed in the line of duty

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) — Several community leaders spent part of  Monday honoring and remembering two heroes, Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin and Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter.

    Derbin was killed in the line of duty in May, and Ritter was killed in the line of duty in July.

    “Everything he did, he did because he was Jacob,” said Dawn Derbin, Jacob’s mother.

    Karen Ritter, Jamieson’s mother, told the Fox 8 I-Team her son loved life, and loved people.

    Both officers were honored during the Values In Action Foundation Celebration of Goodness Event held Monday.

    During the ceremony, officials announced that a new award will now be given each year. The award will be called the Kindland “Ritter Way” Award, which will honor both officers.

    “I love that about this award,” said Dawn Derbin. “Because  Jacob did so much for the community. I want everyone to  remember everything about him. He was an amazing, genuine, and kind person.”

    Ritter’s mother and father say their son became a police officer because he wanted to help improve the lives of others. They also said he never wanted any awards for his actions.

    “He was basically just doing his job,” Jon Ritter said. “He was just being a very kind hearted person and that was just the way he was.”

    Euclid Police Chief Scott Meyer and Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd say both officers were extremely passionate about serving their communities.

    “They stepped up at a time when very few people will step up to be police officers,” Meyer said.  “I believe we should honor them for the ultimate sacrifice that they made.”

    Ritter’s family members say besides being brave and caring, he always tried to make others smile. They said he would often wear colorful socks with suits. So on Monday, they carried on his tradition.

    Both families vowed that the officers will never be forgotten.

    “It is  our hope and our desires that they are loved by their community,” said Karen Ritter. “Just as much as they loved their communities. They sacrificed their lives.”

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    Emily Smith

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  • Officer involved in Tamir Rice shooting gets new job: I-Team

    Officer involved in Tamir Rice shooting gets new job: I-Team

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    ***Video above: Tamir Rice’s life honored with butterfly garden.***

    CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found a former Cleveland police officer notorious for the shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice has gotten a new job out of state.

    Now, the lawyer representing Tamir’s mother has released a blistering statement.

    Timothy Loehmann is going to the White Sulphur Springs Police Department in West Virginia.

    The I-Team texted Loehmann to ask about the job but have not heard back. We also reached out to the White Sulphur Springs mayor and police chief to discuss the matter but they did not return calls or emails.

    Loehmann was fired from the Cleveland Division of Police in 2017 for lying on his police application, not for the deadly shooting. The city said he did not fully disclose his employment history.

    Rice was killed outside the Cudell Recreation Center on the city’s west side on Nov. 22, 2014.

    Police were called for a report of a man with a gun. Police said Officer Loehmann opened fire when he said the boy reached towards his waistband. The gun turned out to be an airsoft pistol.

    No criminal charges were filed against the rookie police officer or his partner.

    Attorney Subodh Chandra, who represents Tamir’s mother, released the following statement Friday evening:

    “White Sulphur Springs’s police chief and its public officials evidently don’t care that (1) the City of Independence, Ohio considered Timothy Loehmann mentally unfit for duty, (2) Cleveland fired him because he lied on his application (a firing affirmed on appeals), (3) he rushed upon and slew a child, and (4) in the ensuing investigation he lied about calling out warnings to Tamir when his fellow officer said the windows were up that fateful winter’s day.

    “While any normal person (and certainly any child) would grasp that Loehmann should never be entrusted with a badge and gun, some people love lying, child-killing cops so much that they are determined to foist him on the rest of us.

    “Every time Loehmann resurfaces in his game of bad-cop whack-a-mole, he torments the family of Tamir Rice. Why can’t he just go away and live the rest of his life—life he deprived Tamir of—in humility? Why does he insist on being a cop? It seems pathological at this point.

    “And what sort of crazy public officials don’t care that they must now disclose that he’s a known liar to defendants in every criminal case he’s involved in? Loehmann is a Brady/Giglio cop because of his lies on his police application and during the Tamir Rice investigation, and because Independence found him unfit. Timothy Loehmann should be radioactive to any sensible member of law enforcement community.

    “Officials who think its okay to hire him as a cop are betraying their citizens’ trust. As a former federal prosecutor, I’m disgusted by the lack of integrity.

    “Let’s hope White Sulphur Springs residents have the good sense to condemn the poor judgment of their morally bankrupt police chief.

    “It’s also deeply troubling that White Sulphur Springs police are retaliating against those (including journalists) who ask questions about Loehmann by quashing their First Amendment rights. But it tells us what we need to know about the indifference of public officials there to civil rights.

    “White Sulphur Spring officials should be sued over that and the city bankrupted.”

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    Peggy Gallek

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  • New video shows chaotic scene after Edgewater Park shooting: I-Team

    New video shows chaotic scene after Edgewater Park shooting: I-Team

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) – Video released to the FOX 8 I-Team takes you into the scene after gunfire at Edgewater Park. Investigators now say 16 people pulled out guns.

    The gunfire erupted last Saturday evening with the park crowded.

    Metroparks police body camera video shows an officer running through the parking lot yelling to a suspect, “Let me see your hands! Get on the —- ground. Get on the ground now!”

    While police scrambled, security video shows everyone else did, too. You see a big group of people standing together and then, suddenly, everyone runs for cover.

    “We need the police right now,” a 911 caller said.

    “Do you know how many shots were fired?” a dispatcher asked.

    “At least 20,” a caller said.

    “It was so scary. I got a 10-year-old, right here, in the front seat that had to get on my lap,” another caller said.

    One person suffered a graze wound in the back from a gunshot.

    As an officer arrested one suspect, he said, “you match the description,” and, “you got anything on you, ‘bro?”

    “Yeah, firearm. Right, here in my pants, right there,” the suspect answered.

    The officer then says over the radio, “I got one more gun.”

    “It was a nice shootout,” another 911 caller said.

    Last weekend, the Cleveland Metroparks said very little about what happened or why.

    However, investigators are releasing photos of a few more possible suspects and, again, 16 people pulled guns during the incident.

    • Courtesy of Cleveland Metroparks Police
    • Edgewater Park shooting suspect
      Courtesy of Cleveland Metroparks Police
    • Edgewater Park shooting suspect
      Courtesy of Cleveland Metroparks Police

    “We are working to identify the suspects involved in this incident and utilizing all law enforcement resources available,” said Cleveland Metroparks Police Chief Kelly Stillman. “This type of criminal behavior will not be tolerated anywhere within Cleveland Metroparks and we are working in close coordination with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute all suspects to the full extent of the law.”

    “There are people in this community who continue to make excuses for this type of behavior,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. They need to wake up and realize this type of violence is going to end in a loss of life and destroy our community.”

    Initially, police arrested a 17-year-old from Lyndhurst. In Juvenile Court, we found gun charges. Police say the teen had a stolen gun.

    We’ve learned investigators are still working on how the teen might be connected to the rest of the incident. We also found he had no prior juvenile record in Cuyahoga County.

    “I saw with my own eyes, at least two automatic weapons. They got on the freeway going east,” a 911 caller also said.

    The Metroparks call this an “active investigation” while promising you’ll see more of a police presence at Edgewater Park.

    Yet, we are already seeing fallout. The Metroparks cancelled this week’s summer concert at Edgewater Park.

    Anyone with information related to the incident and individuals involved should call Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463. Tips may be submitted anonymously. Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the identification and arrest of the persons responsible for this crime.

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    Ed Gallek

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  • Residents could pay twice for mayor’s crash: I-Team

    Residents could pay twice for mayor’s crash: I-Team

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team did some digging to find out why taxpayers will get stuck for the repair bills after a crash of a police SUV carrying Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb.

    We revealed on Friday that tax dollars will cover the cost of that damage. An initial estimate shows the cost could total $26,000 for parts and labor.

    We’ve found tax money will pay the bill, since the city is self-insured.

    The police officer’s personal insurance will not be involved, since he was on duty.

    Earlier this month, an officer driving the mayor put on emergency lights and ended up in a crash going through a stop light.

    The other driver did not get seriously hurt, but his company van was heavily damaged. The insurance company for that driver is expected to pay for that. But the company is expected to come after the city for reimbursement. So taxpayers may end up paying for that, too.

    Witnesses at the scene have placed blame on the mayor’s driver.

    He told an investigator at the scene, “So, pulled to the light… pulled up to the light. I cleared. I see a pedestrian getting ready to cross. He stops. As I get ready to proceed through the intersection the other vehicle was coming.”

    The driver said he had been rushing the mayor to an emergency meeting. The mayor’s office said that involved top-level officials and a recent computer hack at City Hall.

    While the mayor has said he takes “full responsibility” for what happened, the police officer could face discipline.

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    Ed Gallek

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  • Short-staffing in Cleveland IT department before city computer hack: I-Team

    Short-staffing in Cleveland IT department before city computer hack: I-Team

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered more short-staffing in the unit you depend on to keep city of Cleveland computer systems running.

    This comes to light with city hall closed to the public for days by a computer hack the city has confirmed as a ransomware attack.

    Monday, we saw more taxpayers turned away at Cleveland City Hall. The building is closed to the public for the start of a second week due to computer hackers demanding the city pay a ransom.

    Now, the I-Team has found the city IT department is short-staffed by 10%.

    This comes to light after we revealed, earlier, the chief innovation and technology officer had resigned at the beginning of April. We also found a city job description floating around on the internet for a Cybersecurity Architect Manager. Someone to conduct “risk assessments and identification of potential security incidents. “

    The mayor’s office tells us that job was, in fact, filled. However, as we reported this story, human resources couldn’t get into its system to tell us more due to the cyber attack.

    When the City’s head of innovation and technology resigned, he told the mayor, in a letter, the time had come to make a change. For this story, we wondered what he’d tell us about the city getting hacked. He sent us a text saying he doesn’t have any information on what’s happening with the computer systems.

    We turned to Alex Hamerstone with TrustedSec, a Northeast Ohio-based cybersecurity company. He told us, cities and companies struggle with keeping computer systems running and protected.

    “Being short on manpower can be a challenge,” Hamerstone said. “So, if you have people that are working every day to make sure these systems work, they’re effective and operational, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to, kind of, secure these systems as well.”

    And, he said, “It’ll be interesting to see what comes out of this. When it comes to an incident, the best time to prepare is before it happens.”

    Meantime we found taxpayers caught in the middle as they were turned away from city hall.

    “Hopefully, it’ll be up and running again soon. The IT Department is vital. You need to get that going,” one told us.

    Another said, “We want the service. Now, we gotta drive all around the city to get what we need.”

    Late Monday, the city announced city hall will remain closed to the public on Tuesday as a result of the computer attack.

    A news release said offered the following:

    Despite the temporary closure of City Hall, essential city services, including Public Safety, waste collection, recreation centers, operations at the airport, Cleveland Public Power, Water and Water Pollution Control, are functioning and operating normally to ensure the continued well-being and safety of our residents.

    Residents who are requesting birth or death certificates are encouraged to submit applications online by visiting the Ohio Department of Health here.

    If residents prefer to request a copy in person, Parma and Lakewood city halls can assist with birth certificates for births that occurred in Ohio.

    Applications for certain permits are accessible online. Those include:

    · Building and Housing permit applications and Certificate of Disclosures are here

    – Visit here for instructions on using Accela Citizen Access.

    – Lead Certificates – follow instructions here.

    We thank the public for their patience and understanding during this challenging time. City Hall remains committed to ensuring the security and integrity of our systems and services as we continue to recover from the cyber attacks. “

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    Ed Gallek

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  • Mother of suspect in killing of Julian Wood speaks out

    Mother of suspect in killing of Julian Wood speaks out

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) — The mother of Bionca Ellis has spoken out to the FOX 8 I TEAM about her daughter, who police said killed 3-year-old Julian Wood outside of a grocery store.

    Yolanda Eggleton, mother of Bionca Ellis, said she believes the court system and the mental health system failed her daughter and the family of Julian.

    Eggleton said her daughter has had mental health issues for years and recently quit taking her medication. She said her daughter should have been held for a mental health evaluation when she was arrested on a probation violation and taken to Rocky River Municipal Court at the end of May .

    On June 3, North Olmsted Police said Ellis attacked a mother and her toddler outside Giant Eagle and stabbed them, killing Julian.

    “I think she was hallucinating,” Eggleton said. “Bionca has been on several medications that did not work out for her. The hallucinations and the voices just got the best of her.”

    Records show a magistrate in Rocky River Municipal Court referred Ellis for a mental health evaluation on May 30, but it didn’t happen. On May 31, Rocky River Judge Brian Hagan released Ellis. The I-Team asked Judge Hagan why the woman didn’t get a psychiatric or mental health evaluation. Hagan said the organization handling mental health evaluations for the court had no one available. Also, Ellis would have had to sit in jail for days on a very minor case.

    Three days later, police say, Ellis attacked Julian and his mother Margot.

    Video released to the Fox 8 I-Team Tuesday shows Ellis taking a knife from a store just moments before the vicious attack.

    “My condolences to this family,” Eggleton said. “When I found out I was devastated. I’m devastated. No child should ever have to lose their life. She was around my grandkids. It could’ve been one of my grandkids.”

    Th I-Team also revealed Ellis kept getting back on the streets even though she had been picked up for violating probation.

    In January, she was arrested in Bakersfield, California. She is facing three counts of “battery on person” for allegedly assaulting three people there.

    In February, she told Cleveland police she wanted to confess to a murder. She told Cleveland officers that she killed a woman in California. Bakersfield police have told us they determined the confession was not credible, saying the information was not consistent with any unsolved cases being investigated. 

    Ellis also told police she wanted to kill again. Cleveland police took her to the hospital for an evaluation.

    In March, Ellis was arrested in Florida for trespassing. A police report in Florida indicated she refused to leave a hotel and said she wanted to go to jail.

    Her mother said she had no idea her daughter left the state or how she was able to travel.

    Ellis in jail on a $5 million bond.  She has been indicted on a list of charges including aggravated murder.

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    Ed Gallek

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  • Julian Wood’s suspected killer claims she’s killed before

    Julian Wood’s suspected killer claims she’s killed before

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    CLEVELAND — The suspect accused of killing a 3-year-old boy outside a grocery store in North Olmsted told police three months ago that she had killed a woman in California, and she said she would kill again, according to court records.

    However, Bionca Ellis remained free to roam the streets and the country. Also, traveling to Florida.

    The Fox 8 I-TEAM uncovered chilling information about Ellis, who is accused of stabbing and killing 3-year-old Julian Wood on June 3. North Olmsted Police have said Ellis attacked the child and his mother in the Giant Eagle parking lot. Julian’s mother survived.

    Ellis had a probation violation warrant from Rocky River Municipal Court stemming from a May 2023 misdemeanor theft charge.

    Court records in Kern County, California show warrants were issued there for Ellis in February of this year. She was accused of three counts of “battery on person.”

    Despite the warrants in California , Ellis somehow got back to Ohio and ended up in a women’s shelter in February and on February 24, an official at the shelter called Cleveland police saying Ellis wanted to confess to murdering someone in California.

    “Bionca then went and explained that sometime in the last few months that she murdered someone in Bakersfield, California,” the report states. “She states the victim was a white female, approx. 5’6”, 150 pounds, and that she was a bartender or worked at a bar.”

    Ellis also told police she dumped the body in an unknown area, possibly near a river, and she was unsure if the body had been found .

    The Cleveland officer reached out to a detective with Bakersfield Police, who said they have several unsolved homicide cases that sound similar to what Bionca described. But, none of those cases listed Ellis as a named suspect.

    The Cleveland report also stated Bionca told officers if she was not taken to jail, “she was going to murder someone at the shelter.” She also said she wanted to” kill someone and eat their flesh.”

    Bakersfield Police said they did not have enough evidence to hold Ellis on a murder case, and they would not come and get her on the assault warrants.

    Cleveland Police also reached out to North Olmsted Police on the probation violation warrant. However, North Olmsted Police said they would not take her into custody. Instead, recommending to “advise” her of the warrant.

    Cleveland police took Ellis to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

    The report further noted that when Ellis was at the hospital she became “extremely irate, agitated, and began fighting” with nurses, doctors and police officers. She was sedated for her safety, according to the report.

    It’s not known how long she remained in the hospital, but a few weeks later, she was arrested near Orlando, Florida. Reports from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office show Ellis was arrested on a trespassing charge after she refused to leave a hotel. She was eventually released from jail and returned to Ohio.

    Then, she was arrested in Ohio just days before the murder of little Julian. A magistrate recommended a mental health check. Rocky River Municipal Court Judge Brian Hagan released her without a hearing. Last week the judge told the I-TEAM he was unaware of anything alarming when releasing Ellis and that he would handle the case the same way if he had to do it again.

    Monday morning, Ellis appeared in Cuyahoga County Court to begin facing charges tied to the murder of Julian Wood and the attack on his mother.

    Ellis smiled and made faces as Judge Nancy Maragaret Russo read the charges.

    Julian’s father, Jared, spoke briefly asking for Ellis to be held in jail. He said, “She took everything from us. There is nothing that could ever replace my son. Do whatever you can to keep this monster locked up.”

    Judge Russo set bond at $5 million.

    Cuyahoga County prosecutors still could decide to seek the death penalty.

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    Ed Gallek

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  • I-Team: Police find baby alone in casino parking lot

    I-Team: Police find baby alone in casino parking lot

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) — Video released to the Fox 8 I-Team shows the moment Cleveland police rescued a baby left alone in a car and then arrested the father downtown in the casino.

    The incident happened in April, and the city just released the police body camera video to the Fox 8 I-Team.

    In the video, you see the man and a woman who’d called the police and were stunned by what they saw in a car. A baby in a car seat. All alone.

    A worker from the parking garage helped police open the car where inside they found a 10-month-old little girl. Officers found that no parents and no adults were with that child or anywhere nearby.

    At the first sight of the child, one officer can be heard saying in the video, “Oh my God, look how beautiful she is.”

    Then as an officer held the child he said, “You look tired. You don’t know who I am and you don’t care who I am.”

    A short time later, police found the father with a friend inside the casino. Officers immediately put both men in handcuffs.

    The father of the baby, Kyle Miller is now facing charges but is pleading not guilty.

    Miller faces a charge of child endangering, a charge of tampering with evidence has been dropped.

    The case is still moving through Cleveland Municipal Court.

    In 2023, the I-Team revealed a similar case in which a father ended with charges for gambling at the casino downtown while leaving a 12-year-old in a car for six hours.

    Police said Miller went back to check on the baby, but he left her alone for a total of close to two hours.

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    Ed Gallek

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  • Moms need not apply? NJ woman says she was victim of discrimination against mothers

    Moms need not apply? NJ woman says she was victim of discrimination against mothers

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    A young mother from New Jersey said she was shocked when she inquired about bartending jobs at a popular restaurant, only to hear the venue preferred to hire “people without children.”

    Idelbel Colon, the job seeker, shared text messages with the NBC New York I-Team that appear to show The Lobby, a sports-themed bar and restaurant in Elizabeth, excluding parents from employment consideration.

    “Wanted to see if you still had openings for bartenders?” Colon wrote back in March.

    In response, Terry Gonzalez, a former manager at the Lobby wrote back, “I Just hired 3 and I’m good for the moment. We are also looking to hire people without children.”

    According to the text messages, Gonzalez further explained that the restaurant “had just let go two girls with kids because they kept getting sick.”

    “This is discrimination,” Colon said. “There is no way for him to just say he doesn’t want to hire women with children.”

    Colon said she had previously worked at The Lobby several years before having children. She conceded that Gonzalez once fired her, but later re-hired her to work at a sister sports bar in Newark. That job, too, was awarded before she gave birth.

    The Lobby declined to answer questions about how hiring decisions are made at the company, instead issuing a statement from its legal representative, the Hatfield Schwartz Law Group. That statement distanced the company from Terry Gonzalez, calling him a “former” manager and suggesting he had no authority to make hiring decisions.

    “The Lobby employs a diverse workforce and prides itself on providing a welcoming environment to all,” the statement read. “This was an informal text exchange between a former employee and a former manager. The views expressed do not represent those of The Lobby.”

    The statement did not detail when Gonzalez departed his job as a manager and did not address a screenshot Colon said she captured on March 6, 2024, showing Gonzalez advertising job openings at the Lobby on his personal Instagram page.

    The I-Team reached out to Terry Gonzalez for comment, but did not hear back.

    Some states, including New York, explicitly ban employers from excluding people from job consideration because they are parents. Though New Jersey law does not specifically make it illegal for employers to discriminate based on what is known as “familial status,” the state’s Division on Civil Rights, a part of the attorney general’s Office, said parents are often members of other protected classes.

    For example, bias against people with children could be considered as having a “disparate impact” on people who are in their 30s and 40s — and thus be targeted for enforcement under the prohibition on age discrimination.

    Just this week, the Division on Civil Rights proposed adopting new language that clarifies how the state can penalize employers and landlords for business conduct that isn’t expressly prohibited by the Law Against Discrimination, but nevertheless tends to put a bigger burden on one or several protected classes.

    “It’s important to understand that a policy or practice doesn’t need malicious intent to have a harmful impact,” said Attorney General Matt Platkin. “We no longer live in a time where ‘I meant well’ or ‘I didn’t think’ are accepted excuses for denying equal opportunity to anyone.”

    David Lopez, a Rutgers Law School professor who formerly served as General Counsel to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said employers who exclude mothers from hiring consideration might also be committing sex discrimination.

    “What the employer community needs to understand is that they can’t engage in stereotyping against women,” Lopez said. “Federal and state law both prohibit sex discrimination, so if an employer refuses to hire women because they have children — and does not refuse to hire men — that would be sex discrimination.”

    Colon has initiated the process of filing equal employment opportunity complaints with the state and federal government. She said she wants customers of The Lobby to consider the fact that last month the restaurant publicized a Mother’s Day brunch, just weeks after she was told the venue preferred not to hire mothers of children.

    “I think it’s just ironic that they would promote a Mother’s Day brunch,” Colon said

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    Chris Glorioso

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  • Government red tape grounds Cleveland police drones: I-Team

    Government red tape grounds Cleveland police drones: I-Team

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found yet another delay with new drones for Cleveland police, but the plan has already dragged out for years.

    Drones have finally been delivered to Cleveland police, but you won’t see them helping to fight crime anytime soon. Maybe not until next year.

    The I-Team recently exposed a big delay in getting drones for use by Cleveland police. Council approved the money two years ago, but we found, as of last month, police still did not have the drones.

    Now, the chief has told city council that the shipment of drones has come in, but the equipment won’t be used until the Cleveland Police Commission approves the policy for using it.

    “We would start our conversations with the CPC (Cleveland Police Commission). That would be step 1 to see if they would approve of it to move forward, then the policy draft would be in place. Very time-consuming before we could move this forward. I do not anticipate that would be anytime this year,” Chief Dorothy Todd told the Council Public Safety Committee.

    Again, the chief says don’t count on the drones until next year.

    Meanwhile, Parma police have used drones since 2017. Westlake police have 15 drones and many other local, county and federal law enforcement agencies have been using drones for a long time.

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    Ed Gallek

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  • I-Team: More extreme ambulance delays — Will anything change?

    I-Team: More extreme ambulance delays — Will anything change?

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered more extreme delays sending residents an ambulance even in high-priority emergencies.

    It’s a chronic problem with Cleveland EMS we’ve revealed many times before, often due to short-staffing.

    So, we did a spot check on calls with no ambulance to send to see if anything has changed.

    From February to March, records show 169 calls held at least 20 minutes with no ambulance to send. Also, more than two dozen of those involved critical or potentially life-threatening emergencies.

    On more than one 911 call, we heard a dispatcher telling a citizen, “Due to our current call volume, we are unable to dispatch an ambulance at this time.”

    “So, you don’t have an estimated time of arrival?” one woman said.

    Dispatch, then, tells the caller,

    “I mean, it could be 20 minutes or like four hours. We’re just very busy,” dispatch said.

    In one case with a delay, a caller asking for an ambulance said of her husband, “he’s having excruciating back pain.”

    In another case with a delay, a caller said, “I’m just in a lot of pain. I can’t walk. It’s just hard. I’m in a lot of pain.”

    Still another said “my husband cannot catch his breath, he needs oxygen.”

    “I collapsed. I lost all my breath. I couldn’t breathe,” Ken Jaworski told the I-Team.

    Records show he waited for an ambulance on the city’s southwest side for more than an hour. Jaworski points out firefighters got there quickly and they gave him oxygen.

    But, Ken is now stunned to learn how often we’ve found Cleveland EMS delays.

    “I hope if anybody else calls, they don’t lose their life because EMS can’t get there on time,” he said.

    Once more, we asked the city what’s being done about this.

    Deputy Commissioner Chrsitopher Chapin released a statement.

    “The Division of EMS is constantly striving to ensure that the most critical calls receive the quickest response through utilization of call prioritization, the first responder program and dynamic stationing of units. We also continue to work with our partners to reach out to frequent utilizers of the 911 system in an effort to ensure their needs are met and reduce the demand for 911 responses. Through our lateral transfer program, we have added 16 paramedics to the division that have been deployed to the field in 2024 and we currently have 5 additional new employees that are in training. We are preparing to start another class in the early part of the third quarter of this year. We have had 5 individuals leave the division this year to pursue other opportunities and, in addition, we had 2 others retire after 31 years of service.”

    At the same time, the city has spoken often of doing more hiring and getting ambulances first to the most critical calls. Still, we keep finding many more delays even in high-priority emergencies.

    We also checked back on where things stand with a new plan to address frequent EMS callers demanding an ambulance for minor problems that tie up medics.

    “We have not permanently assigned someone,” said the deputy commissioner. “We are currently using multiple employees to gauge the effectiveness of our model before we create a permanent assignment.”

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    Ed Gallek

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  • K-9 finds package with illegal drugs, leads to Cleveland arrest: I-Team

    K-9 finds package with illegal drugs, leads to Cleveland arrest: I-Team

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team learned a Cuyahoga County Sheriff K-9 discovered a package containing illegal drugs that was set to be delivered to a Cleveland home.

    According to reports, Sheriff K-9 Jimmy, a narcotic detection dog, alerted his handler to a package that was at a local distribution center. Deputies found the package contained illegal drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine.

    Deputies then delivered the package to the home. Once the package was accepted, deputies knocked on the door.

    Lenny Johnson, who lives at the home, admitted to deputies that he received the package for someone else. The name on the package was not Johnson’s, but it was addressed to Johnson’s home. Reports further state that Johnson said he received two other similar deliveries and was paid with money and cocaine for accepting the packages. Johnson said he did not know what was inside the package.

    Johnson now facing felony drug charges in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. His bond was set at $50,000 dollars.

    Johnson entered not guilty pleas to the charges. He is due back in court later this week.

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    Peggy Gallek

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  • Fire lit underneath chandelier at Playhouse Square: Police investigating

    Fire lit underneath chandelier at Playhouse Square: Police investigating

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) – Police confirm to the Fox 8 I-Team they are investigating a video that is circulating on social media showing a large fire under the chandelier at Playhouse Square, and a car driving in circles around the fire.

    The incident took place shortly after midnight Sunday morning.

    Police say they are trying to identify the people involved, including the driver of the vehicle.

    Anyone with information is asked to call Cleveland police as soon as possible.

    No further information has been released at this time. Check back for updates on this developing story.

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    Peggy Gallek

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  • Deadly shooting: Multiple people shot in downtown CLE

    Deadly shooting: Multiple people shot in downtown CLE

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    *The above video shows how to report a crime tip to U.S. Marshals*

    CLEVELAND — The Fox 8 I-Team has confirmed one person died after multiple people were shot early Sunday morning, in downtown Cleveland.

    The shooting happened around 3 a.m. near East 13th Street and St. Clair Avenue.

    “Officers immediately responded and located four individuals, a 24-year-old male, a
    19-year-old male, a 26-year-old female, and a 28-year-old male, all victims of gunshot wounds,” police stated in a press release.

    “Unfortunately, one of the victims, a 28-year-old male, was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims of this unfortunate incident,” said Deputy Chief Schlacht.

    Sources also tell the I-Team that a gas main line was struck during the shooting and leaking outside of Read’s Jewelry and Loan store. Cleveland Fire Department  secured the leak.

    The shooting happened just days after Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb announced his summer safety plan.

    The plan follows a “whole-of-government” approach  by coordinating the deployment of city resources, expanding community partnerships, and encouraging active engagement of citizens.

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    Peggy Gallek

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  • I-Team: Man shot but still goes to court — see video

    I-Team: Man shot but still goes to court — see video

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) — Video released to the FOX 8 I-Team shows a convict so desperate to stay out of prison he went to see a probation officer even after he had been shot.

    Body camera video captured the moment Cuyahoga County sheriff’s deputies and protective services officers encountered Jovan Vereen.

    “Bruh, I got shot right here, bruh. Out my stomach and in my back,” he said.

    You quickly hear a call to dispatch from the officers and deputies working security: “Does someone have … you have anybody in the office to bring me a first aid kit?”

    But this required more than a first aid kit.

    Jovan Vereen made more effort than you’d ever expect to keep an appointment to see his probation officer. Last month, he staggered into the Cuyahoga County Justice Center after he had been shot.

    “This is what we go through when we do the right thing. When we go to work. All this,” he said as he waited for treatment.

    He told the story of what happened.

    “I was coming out the house, coming out, and I heard these dudes. They walked up on me, and I told ‘em, ‘I ain’t got no problem with y’all.’ He just pulled out a gun and started shooting. I rolled off on a bike,” Vereen said.

    The court security team then gets some bandages and tells Vereen, “What I can do is I can bandage it up until EMS gets here.”

    Vereen showed a commitment to doing the right thing in a way not seen before. He kept his appointment after getting shot so that he didn’t get sent back to jail for not appearing.

    “I ain’t want to not come down and get a warrant, then gotta go through the jail,” he said.

    A deputy responded, “I understand, brother, but you got a gunshot wound.”

    Vereen then says, “I’m a soldier.”

    We checked court records and found Vereen has had Cuyahoga County convictions for gun charges, receiving stolen property and more. He’s on probation now, but we also checked with the state, and records show he has been to prison twice before.

    So what about being on probation now? The Court told us Vereen is scheduled to be on probation until September. Nothing has been filed to end probation early, even after this appointment.

    An ambulance took Vereen to the hospital. We were unable to contact him for this story. But, he made sure the court didn’t have to track him down despite being shot.

    In fact, Vereen now needs justice. We’re told the shooting is under investigation.

    Before going to the ER, Vereen said, “I was on the bike, they came up on me. I’m tired of going to jail.”

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    Ed Gallek

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  • Watch: Suspected Hopkins Airport thieves caught

    Watch: Suspected Hopkins Airport thieves caught

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    CLEVELAND (WJW) – Video released to the FOX 8 I-Team shows police busting suspected thieves for stealing at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

    These were separate cases, but the suspects share something in common affecting every traveler.

    Police video shows Cleveland police going back to the scene of the crime with a man suspected of breaking into cars in an airport parking garage.

    Another police video clip shows officers tracking a phone stolen from the Hopkins Airport terminal. Police found the phone and a suspect downtown at a bus station.

    We’ve reported that police have a chronic problem with thieves stealing from vehicles or from inside the terminal. Both of these suspects are well-known to airport police.

    “How many cars you break into tonight?” an officer asked in the parking lot.

    “Just one, the suspect answered.

    He struggled to lead police back to a pickup where they say he had stolen a backpack with two laptops.

    “I think it was on the next floor up. Something like this one,” he said.

    Police also questioned the suspect about a pocket full of credit cards with different names. The man claimed they are names of friends.

    But, an officer asks about one man, saying, “what’s his name?”

     “Ah, Lee. I forget his middle name. He got his middle and last name,” the suspect said, stumbling.

    At one point, an officer asked, “why do you keep on coming back here?”

    “I don’t know. Being stupid. Being stupid,” the suspect said.

    Video shows police confronting the suspect with the phone that had been tracked downtown.

     “Where’s the phone you took from the airport?” the officer asked.

    “The phone?” the suspect responded.

    “Yeah, you know because you’re on video everywhere when you go to the airport,” the officer said.

    “Oh, the phone!” the man then answered.

    “He’s a regular trespasser because he was at the airport, yesterday and the day before,” another officer pointed out.

    Cuyahoga County prosecutors indicted both of these suspects.

    The prosecutor’s office says the garage suspect, Damon Knowles, pleaded guilty to this case and one from Cleveland Heights. A judge gave him probation with monitoring by a mental health unit.

    Meanwhile, Cuyahoga County prosecutors also say Brandon Graham has been indicted in connection with the stolen phone. That case is just beginning to move through court.

    The police video shows Graham told an officer he picked up the phone since, “it was right in the open.”

    “Wait, but it’s not yours,” the officer reminded him.

    These are not the first cases like this at Hopkins, so be aware the crowd might include more than travelers and their families.

    “You have no reason to be at that airport. No reason,” police told Graham.

    In the background of this, we’ve reported that the Cleveland Police Department is short-staffed at the airport, with the number of officers assigned there consistently down as much as 25%.

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    Ed Gallek

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  • He spent 27 years in prison. Five witnesses say someone else committed the murder

    He spent 27 years in prison. Five witnesses say someone else committed the murder

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    The Office of the Brooklyn District Attorney has overturned 37 felony convictions in the last 10 years, the most in New York State. Anthony Green says his murder conviction should be next.

    And in an unusual twist, Charles Linehan — a former investigator who uncovered key evidence in Green’s case — now leads the unit that will decide on his bid for exoneration.

    “I got arrested and charged for crimes that I didn’t do,” said Green.

    In 1990, Anthony Green was found guilty of fatally shooting Demetrius “Mimi” Ware on Saratoga Avenue in Brooklyn’s Ocean Hill section. After Green went to prison, he enlisted Linehan for help in proving his innocence. Linehan came through. In his re-investigation of the killing, Linehan obtained a sworn statement from a man who lives near the murder scene, suggesting his own son was most likely the killer.

    In an affidavit signed in March of 2020, Kevin Fields said his son, Rick Morrison, disappeared from the neighborhood after Mimi Ware was shot. In a phone call a few weeks after the sidewalk murder, Fields said his son admitted that “he had a beef with Mimi.” In the same affidavit, Fields added he “believed that Rick had killed Mimi, so I told him to lay low.” Rick Morrison, known then in the neighborhood as “Little Rick,” was, himself, shot and killed about a year after that phone call.

    On top of the affidavit from Kevin Fields, Anthony Green has also obtained sworn statements from four other witnesses who say they saw “Little Rick” Morrison shot Mimi Ware – with their own eyes. Those eyewitnesses include:

    • Alvida Woods, a former teenage girlfriend of Rick Morrison, who swore “I saw Rick pull a gun out of his pants and fire at Mimi.”
    • Shemene Minter, a former Ocean Hill neighbor, who swore “I saw Little Rick pull out a gun and shoot the other guy several times.”
    • Agnes Foster, a woman who said she and her friends were sitting on lawn chairs on Saratoga Avenue at the time of the murder and swore, “I saw ‘Ricky’ point a large square-like gun and start shooting at ‘Mimi.’”
    • Linda Foster, Agnes Foster’s sister, who swore “we were picking up our chairs when Ricky started shooting” and “I heard Ricky shooting many times.”

    In their sworn statements, Minter and the Foster sisters said NYPD investigators interviewed them about their eyewitness accounts but seemed to be focused only on Anthony Green as a suspect.

    Nicholas Liakas, Green’s civil attorney, says the investigative record suggests police wanted to pin the crime on Green and ignored other evidence that didn’t fit their narrative.

    “This was an orchestrated effort to lock somebody up who they pre-judged as guilty,” Liakas said.

    Two years after obtaining key evidence suggesting Anthony Green may be innocent, Charles Linehan was appointed to lead the Brooklyn Conviction Review Unit (CRU), which is currently considering whether the DA should now move to vacate Anthony Green’s conviction. But the DA’s official re-investigation has now gone on for more than two years and Green is becoming impatient.

    “With all the evidence he has, what are we continuing to wait for?” Green said. “It’s been 40 years.”

    Oren Yaniv, a spokesman for Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez, said the office is methodically considering all the new evidence, but stressed Green is the one who asked the CRU to re-examine his case after a judge granted him a hearing to consider the merits of his wrongful conviction claim in court.

    “[The CRU] is working diligently and collaboratively on this complex reinvestigation which pertains to events from nearly four decades ago,” Yaniv wrote in an email to the I-Team. “Given its track record, it is not surprising that Mr. Green asked the CRU to review his case even after a post-conviction court hearing had been granted to him, but he’s free to pursue that remedy at any time.”

    The case against Anthony Green was based primarily on the testimony of two women – Vicky Colon, the teenage mother of Green’s unborn child, who said she saw him pull the trigger, and Cindy Pressley, a surprise witness at trial who testified she was in the car with Green as he drove to the murder scene.

    After Green was convicted, Colon recanted her story – claiming she lied on the stand because detectives and prosecutors threatened to take her unborn child if she didn’t testify against Green.

    Colon has since died of breast cancer. None of the women who swore they saw Rick Morrison shoot Mimi Ware would agree to do an interview with the I-Team. The I-Team was unable to reach family of Demetrius “Mimi” Ware, the murder victim, for comment.

    After taking over the CRU, Linehan re-interviewed Pressley who said Little Rick Morrison could have been the shooter but she wasn’t sure. In an audio recording of the re-interview, Pressley told Linehan police kept her in a hotel for weeks before the trial while she was coached on what to say on the stand..

    “How long were you in the hotel?” asked Linehan.

    “Maybe a couple weeks,” Pressley responded. “They just prepped me for the court.”

    The NYPD did not respond to the I-Team’s email seeking comment on the allegation a key witness was held in a hotel for weeks, but in the audio recording, Linehan expressed concern about the practice.

    “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “Them behaving like that is not something we would have had them do.”

    Liakas said he believes the CRU is taking Anthony Green’s wrongful conviction claim seriously – but he also expressed concern that his client has already spent decades in prison – and cannot move on with his life without shedding the label “murderer.”

    “You have the Conviction Review Unit, which I think has great intention,” Liakas said. “But there’s a proverb that says the road to hell is paved with good intentions and even if there are good intentions here, he’s still going through hell.”

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    Chris Glorioso and Kristina Sola

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