Nationwide Search and $50,000 Reward in Manhunt for Suspect in Fatal Shooting Shown on Facebook
A warrant for Mr. Stephens’s arrest on a charge of aggravated murder has been issued, and the police asked residents of Indiana, Michigan, New York, northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania to be on alert.
The search for the suspect Steve Stephens, who police believe randomly shot a man walking along a Cleveland-area sidewalk on Sunday before posting a video of the fatal shooting on Facebook broadened nationwide on Monday as officials acknowledged that they did not know where the man was and announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Stephens is an employee at Beech Brook, a “leading behavioral health agency” in northeast Ohio. He is a member of their ACT (assertive community treatment) team.
Beech Brook said it would be closed Monday and released this statement:
“We were shocked and horrified yesterday to learn about the situation involving the threats by Steve Stephens and the tragic shooting of Mr. Godwin. Our hearts go out to his family during this time of grief. Beech Brook’s offices will be closed today out of concerns for the safety of our staff, clients and other visitors to our sites. This includes the administrative headquarters at 3737 Lander Road in Pepper Pike and our Family Drop-In Center, located on the second floor of the Carl B. Stokes Social Services Building at 6001 Woodland Ave. A decision will be made later today about the re-opening of the buildings. Mr. Stephens has been a Beech Brook employee since 2008. He has been working as a vocational specialist for our Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team for youth and young adults. since April of 2015. Prior to that, he had worked as a youth mentor.”
Police said Stephens is armed and dangerous and should not be approached. Stephens is described as a black man with a full beard. He is 6-feet-1-inches tall and 244 pounds. Stephens was last seen wearing a dark blue and grey or black striped polo shirt.
He is driving a white Ford Fusion with Ohio temporary plates, E363630. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin D. Williams said in a press conference Monday afternoon that there has been no indication that Stephens has changed vehicles.
Police update on Steve Stephens case https://t.co/p2QiXCCsk2
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
Mayor Jackson: Reward of up to $50,000 from ATF, FBI, Crimestoppers for information leading to the arrest of Steve Stephens.
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
Chief Williams: This is now a national search for Steve. We will leave no stone unturned.
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/LeoRules1/status/854051453257879552
https://twitter.com/immigrant4trump/status/854055675877609472
RIP Robert Godwin Sr.
Ryan Godwin, who said he is a grandson of Godwin’s, had asked people to stop sharing it.
“Please, please, please stop retweeting that video and report anyone who has posted it! That is my grandfather show some respect,” Ryan Godwin wrote on Twitter Sunday afternoon.
Godwin was walking home from an Easter meal with his family when he was shot at about 2 p.m. EST Sunday in the 600-block of East 93rd in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood.
His friends and family are trying to make sense of the senseless death.
https://twitter.com/petebonnell/status/853984257970028544
The real man we should be talking about.
RIP Robert Godwin Sr.
Death should not come in this way. 😭#Cleveland #SteveStephens pic.twitter.com/vEPivfr8oc— Celter Astin (@Celteras) April 17, 2017