Cleveland Schools See 1,547 Shootings

A joint investigation by News 5 Investigators and The Trace found that 1,547 shootings occurred within 500 yards of Cleveland schools between 2017 and 2025. The data indicates an average of nearly 172 shootings per year in that zone. Cleveland recorded the second-highest annual rate of such incidents among 31 similar-sized cities.

The frequency of these events has created a persistent environment of fear for students. In a five-month period, three teenagers died in shootings near school grounds. Devonte Johnson was killed near Glenville High School in August 2022. Andre Wells was shot near Rhodes High School one month later. Pierre McCoy died at a bus stop outside John Adams in January 2023.

Kareem Smith, a member of The Safety Unit, leads a violence prevention team stationed outside East Tech High School before and after class. East Tech ranked third among Cleveland schools with 56 shootings within the 500-yard radius over the eight-year period. Smith walks with students to ensure they reach home safely.

Smith noted that while the school building itself is generally secure, the surrounding area presents a different reality. He stated, 'For the most part, the school is a safe place, but the neighborhood isn’t.' His team builds rapport with students to mentor them and stay ahead of potential conflicts.

Dr. Lisa Ramirez, a child psychologist at MetroHealth, explained how constant vigilance affects academic performance. She said, 'If you’re worrying in math class as you’re sitting there and worrying about is everybody okay, is everybody safe or thinking about that walk home from school, that’s going to impact your focus of that problem that’s in front of you.'

Anita Deal has experienced this loss personally. Three of her sons were shot and killed over four years, including her youngest, Maurco, who was 13. Deal described her family as shattered by the grief. She said, 'I don’t even know what to say to my grandchildren because sometimes I don’t even know what to say to myself.'

Ramirez emphasized that protective factors like strong friendships and trusted adults can help children manage repeated exposure to violence. She noted, 'You might have a child that has repeated exposure but is actually doing fine and will continue to do fine because of those protective factors.'

Deal said her family is managing their grief through therapy and psychiatry. She added, 'We’ll never be back to where we were, but we can just live.' Smith and his team continue their daily patrols outside East Tech to maintain safety for students leaving campus.