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Cleveland police officer shot and killed Thursday, 3 suspects arrested

Cleveland police officer shot, killed during Thursday incident
Posted at 8:18 AM, Sep 04, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-04 12:35:23-04

CLEVELAND — Three suspects were arrested after an officer was shot and killed in Cleveland's Stockyard neighborhood Thursday evening.

The unidentified suspects was arrested Friday morning.

The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. in the 3200 block of West 65th Street near Storer Avenue, police said.

The officer, later identified as Det. James Skernivitz, was rushed to MetroHealth Medical Center where he died from his injuries, according to the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association.

Police said another person was confirmed dead on the scene but was not a suspect.

Skernivitz's identity was held pending the notification of his family, as he is married with children, police said.

Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association said Skernivitz has been on the force for "a while," was "well-liked" and was a "good man."

"This one hurts," Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association president Jeff Follmer said.

Skernivitz was a 25-year veteran of the Cleveland Division of Police, authorities said.

"We definitely need the prayers of the people in the city. This officer was out doing what all police officers do — trying to protect the people the city — and he gave his life, so we ask that you kind of give his family a little room," Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said.

Special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Columbus responded to the scene to assist police.

This story was originally published by Camryn Justice on WEWS in Cleveland.