“We were attacked.” Three shots fired outside church in Ohio City

CLEVELAND, OH — Police told News 5 that three people were shot outside St. Malachi Parish on Washington Avenue in Cleveland Monday night.

Investigators said all three suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police say one of the three shooting victims is a suspect.

More than two dozen evidence markers lined Washington near West 25th Street, while several cars parked behind the church were hit by ricochet bullets.

“This is going to be a scare,” said Cleveland Police Chief Annie Todd. “This is happening in broad daylight and anyone who is here who saw it or heard it is really going to scare everyone.”

Police do not believe the shooting had anything to do with the church. Investigators believe it was a shootout between at least one man with a pistol and someone with a rifle.

The attack occurred right in front of the community hall, where an estimated 60 people were still present after a weekly Monday evening dinner.

“I heard a bang, bang, bang, ba-bang, bang, bang,” said Paul Farace, who was volunteering at the church at the time.

He said he didn’t notice the gunshots until he saw people running and a man with a gun and a bloody foot come into the hallway.

“He either took his shoe off or his shoe was shot off,” Farace said, “and there were some blood stains all over the hallway.”

He said the man then left the church through the back door.

A cellphone video from the church kitchen shows people hiding behind a locked door. In the recording, at least one person can be heard crying and another praying.

“It destroys your innocence in a way,” said Evan Iannone, who shot the video. “It’s a sanctuary. It’s a place of worship. People need to feel safe here and we were attacked.”

A frustration that Farace also shares.

“I wanted to get a gun, go out and return fire,” Farace said. “I’m not a cop. I’m not a soldier, but damn it, I don’t want anything bad to happen to people I like.”

Cleveland police said the investigation into the shooting and its motives is ongoing.

The chief said officers would increase patrols in the neighborhood to restore a sense of safety.