MAPLE HEIGHTS, OH – A shooting on Monday afternoon at Stafford Park resulted in multiple fatalities, including a pregnant woman, her unborn child, and her 31-year-old husband. Police Chief Todd Hansen reported that the incident occurred just after 3 p.m. during a large gathering in the park.
The suspected shooter, a 29-year-old man identified as the brother of the deceased woman, initiated a fight that escalated into gunfire. According to Chief Hansen, the violence appears to have been the result of a “longstanding feud” between the shooter and the victims. “He was targeting these specific people. It was not a random event,” Hansen stated.
The pregnant woman was shot near one of the park’s pavilions, and her unborn child did not survive. A 13-year-old boy, who was standing nearby, was grazed by a bullet but is expected to recover. The boy is believed to be related to the other victims, although the exact relationship is unclear. The woman’s husband attempted to flee but was fatally shot near the park’s bathrooms.
Maple Heights police officers apprehended the suspected shooter as he tried to escape onto Auburn Avenue. Witnesses, part of a church group near the shooting site, reported scattering to bring nearby children to safety when the shots were fired.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Maple Heights Police Department.