CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) –
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner has identified the off-duty Cleveland Fire Lieutenant killed at his east side home.
William Walker, 45, was shot and stabbed in the chest multiple times while in his Lampson Road driveway around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Lt. Walker, a 15-year veteran, was rushed to Metro, where he later died.
As investigators work to solve the crime, one thing is clear, the people responsible for killing Lt. Walker were laying in wait for him.
Frances Russell, a next door neighbor of Lt. Walker, recounts what happened, “Just all of a sudden pop, pop, pop and it was so loud that I knew it was close by and next thing I heard was somebody screaming.”
Russell called 911 and described what she saw and heard.
It appears that there were seven shots fired and we are told that Lt. Walker was stabbed three times. A working theory is that Lt. Walker may have gotten into an argument with a group of individuals in his neighborhood and the murder was a payback.
“I just can’t believe that someone would have some vendetta or something against him or want to do him bodily harm like that,” says Hildred Steward.
A man who would only identify himself as Jerry says that he plans to move out of the neighborhood– and fast. “All I heard was about four, five, or maybe six shots and we didn’t pay it no mind and then we heard somebody screaming and hollering. We still didn’t pay it no mind.”
“He was dedicated, devoted,” said Public Information Officer for Cleveland Division of Fire Lt. Larry Gray. “He was just a well-respected and well-liked guy.”
There are no suspects are this time. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Homicide Unit at 216-623-5464.
SOURCE: 19ActionNews.com
Article and Picture Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News
