Young, Black woman charged in the murder of a Cleveland cop on New Year's Eve....The slain officer's mother comments....By editor Kathy Wray Coleman of Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's Black digital news leader

 

Eighteen-year-old Tamara McLoyd (left), who has been charged with aggravated murder relative to the New Year's Eve carjacking and shooting death of 25-year-old Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek (right) 

By Kathy Wray Coleman, associate publisher, editor-in-chief

(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - An 18-year-old Black woman has been charged with the carjacking and shooting death of a 25-year-old off-duty Cleveland police officer on New Year's Eve in the Kamm's neighborhood on the city’s largely White West Side.

It is the first time in history that a Black woman has been charged as the lead shooter in the shooting death of a Cleveland cop and could potentially face the death penalty if convicted, sources said, if prosecutors seek the death penalty  

The incident occurred in the 4300 block of Rocky River Drive at roughly 6 p.m., police said.

Tamara McLoyd, 18 and of Garfield Heights, has been charged with aggravated murder in the shooting death of police officer Shane Bartek. She was  arraigned on Monday in Cleveland Municipal Court before Judge Suzan Marie Sweeney.

Sweeney set McLoyd’s bond at $5 million on that charge and also set a $125,000 bond on a separate aggravated robbery charge regarding a November robbery at Happy's Pizza.

Prosecutors say McLoyd was on probation and under the supervision of the Lorain County Juvenile Court for a robbery conviction when Friday's shooting death occurred. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Mike O'Malley, who will likely seek to bring the case before a county grand jury for a possible indictment on state charges, told reporters that McLoyd was convicted of robbery as a juvenile in Lorain County Juvenile Court several months ago and that she should not have been on the streets, though a judge obviously disagreed with his stance.

Officer Bartek was shot twice in the back in his car, which was parked outside of his apartment He was pronounced dead after being transported by EMS from the scene of the shooting to Fairview Hospital. 

Surveillance video puportedly reveals that McLoyd drove off in the officer's car after she allegedly shot him. She ultimately delivered the car to Anthony Butler Jr, 28 and of Bedford Heights, the other suspect in the case who sits in jail on a seemingly excessive $5 million bond and is charged with fleeing and receiving stolen property. Police recovered the stolen car following a high speed chase through the city and several other communities.

The two suspects, including McLoyd, are Black.

Interim police chief Wayne Drummond, a 32-year law enforcement veteran who became interim chief on Monday when Mayor-elect Justin Bibb assumed office, called the tragic shooting death of the police officer "senseless," while Bibb has asked residents of Cleveland to "keep the family in our prayers."

The slain officer's mother released a statement following his death.

“Shane lived his life to the fullest,” the officer's mother Debra said in a statement. “He didn’t take life too seriously but always made sure everyone around him was taken care of and happy. He was goofy, always had a smile on his face, and always brought people out of their shells with his confidence and calm demeanor. Shane was a son, a brother, a twin, and a friend. But so much more. He lived his life in kindness and to help others. He will be missed forever.”

(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com) the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.