MAN SHOT IN BACK AT HILLTOP PARK OUT OF HOSPITAL – NO SUSPECTS

Elyria – Police Officers have little to go on after a man was shot in the back while playing basketball at Hilltop Park on Gulf Road in Elyria Sunday afternoon.

In a release Tuesday afternoon Police reports state that 20 year old Michael Turner of Elyria was unable to identify the man that shot him in the back. Turner told Police that he had been at Hilltop Park to play basketball and had seen two men that he had “seen some time ago.” He said the men told him that they didn’t want any trouble from Turner or his brother and then left the park. A short time later Turner said the two men returned with an unknown number of friends. The men started exchanging words when a fight broke out. Turner saw that his brother was fighting with a few men so he ran over to help him when he spotted someone with a gun. Turner said he yelled to his brother and friends about the other man having a gun and then his group started to run towards the parking lot.

Turner said he heard one shot fired in their direction and then the second shot fired hit him in the back. He continued to run towards the car and he remembers seeing the men still chasing after them. The next thing he remembers is laying stomach down in the SUV where Police found him.

Turner told Police that he had no problems with the suspect and had only seen him around the basketball court before. He said he does not know the suspects name but believes he moved to Elyria recently from Lorain.

Police interviewed a number of potential witnesses but none could say who the suspect was or provide with any detail the man’s description. One witness told Police “I noticed a chunky black male with short hair holding a gun. I heard a shot and then I watched him and three to four guys get into a SUV, maybe a Ford Explorer.”

Officers made contact with another subject who Officers described as being apprehensive and hostile while officer was talking to another witness. Officers pulled the witness to the side and later discovered the following: the witness advised the following: “I don’t know the shooter personally; he did leave with a couple of my associates that I do currently work with. The shooter does not work with me or them but hangs out with some of my work associates.” The Officer Webber asked where he was currently employed at and he stated “I really don’t want to be a snitch; you got my name and address.” Officers advised the man of the pending investigation and that he was a key witness with pertinent information.

The man advised officers “These people are no joke; I don’t want to get involved”

Turner was taken to Elyria Memorial Hospital and later transported to Cleveland for further evaluation but has since been released.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

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