2 officers shot by man who also killed his family members, police say

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - Two police officers were shot during a manhunt for a suspect accused of killing two of his relatives in East Cleveland.

Police say it was an all-night manhunt for the suspect accused of shooting a total of four people, including two East Cleveland Police officers, that ended with the suspect being taken into custody.

Twenty-four-year-old Aaron L. Sharp was arrested in the 1800 block of Sheldon Avenue near Shaw High School.

Police said they have dealt with him in the past.

East Cleveland Mayor Lateek Shabazz said the officers who were shot, Officer Brandon Hernandez and Officer Joshua Durda, 37, are both in stable condition.

“This is a stark reminder of the risks our officers face every day,” said East Cleveland Police Chief Reginald Holcomb.

According to police, officers were called out to a home in the 1900 block of North Taylor Road around 11 p.m. Thursday night for a domestic dispute.

Police say the suspect, Sharp, allegedly shot and killed his family members, now identified as 22-year-old Erik Sharp and 82-year-old Charles Roscoe, before shooting at responding officers.

Durda was shot outside that home and police said he was immediately met with gunfire.

Hernandez was shot after the suspect fled the scene in the area of Euclid Avenue near North Taylor Road around 1 a.m. Friday.

Sharp is facing several charges, including two counts of aggravated murder and two charges of felonious assault.

Sharp waived his preliminary hearing and the case will be sent to the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury.

The judge set his bond at $3 million.

“This town is sad because most of them we all grew up together and it’s a lot of people still here to know them and I’m sending my regards out to them,” said Mayor Shabazz.

Officer Hernandez has been on the force since December 2024 and Officer Durda has been on the force full time since March 2023 and was an auxiliary officer from June 2016 to November 2019.

Officer Hernandez is also a part-time Geneva-on-the-Lake police officer.

This shooting of the East Cleveland police officers comes just two weeks after the three Lorain police officers were shot in an ambush.