Officers ordered the males out of the vehicle, which the driver and rear passenger complied. However, the front seat passenger did not comply. At this time the off-duty officer observed a handgun by the male

The Cleveland Division of Police Use of Deadly Force Investigation Team is investigating a police officer involved shooting that occurred at E. 9^th Street & Prospect Avenue.

The preliminary investigation reveals that today at approximately 2:50 a.m. an off-duty Cleveland Police Officer observed a fight in the parking lot of Wilbert’s Bar on Bolivar Avenue. During the incident the officer observed a male in a gold Saturn discharging a handgun.  After discharging the weapon the vehicle fled from the parking lot north bound on E. 9^th Street. As the vehicle fled the off-duty officer pursued the vehicle on foot and called Police Radio. At E. 9^th &Prospect Avenue with the assistance of marked Third District zone cars with uniformed officers the suspect vehicle was stopped. Subsequent to stopping the suspect vehicle it was found to have three black male occupants. Officers ordered the males out of the vehicle, which the driver and rear passenger complied. However, the front seat passenger did not comply. At this time the off-duty officer observed a handgun by the male, broke the window out and ordered the male several times to put his hands up. The male did not comply, reached for the handgun and the officer discharged his weapon hitting the male once in the head. The male was conveyed by EMS to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he later expired. The other two males were placed under arrest and are being held at the Central Prison Unit awaiting charges.

The off-duty officer received minor injury to his leg as a result of breaking out the window of the vehicle.