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Mayor Matthew Burke urges multi‑agency response after shooting at Deac Park
Summary
Mayor Matthew Burke announced the city will close and repurpose a Deac Park basketball court after a youth was shot and called for county and federal partners to address what he described as social‑media‑driven park takeovers.
Mayor Matthew Burke told the Garfield Heights City Council on June 8 that the city will close and repurpose a basketball court at Deac Park after a young man was shot there last week.
"A young man got shot in the leg and that's enough for me to turn this park into something else," Burke said, describing earlier juvenile disturbances and his decision to close the facility after a shooting. He said the city briefly reopened the park after an earlier incident but moved to close it again following the shooting.
Burke said social‑media posts appear to be coordinating “park takeovers” across multiple cities and that the city can trace the accounts that posted flyers calling for gatherings. He said he will contact the Cuyahoga County Office of Violent Crime Prevention, Garfield Heights police and federal partners including the FBI and U.S. Marshals to pursue an interagency response to what he called online incitement to violence.
The mayor characterized the problem as broader than Garfield Heights and urged cooperation among local, county and federal law enforcement. He also praised the Garfield Heights Police Department’s immediate response and noted the department’s resources: canine units, crowd‑control measures and jail capacity.
Burke cited city crime‑rate figures in his remarks, saying violent crime was down 41% and nonviolent crime down 32%, and framed the recent incidents as part of a larger regional trend in attacks on public gatherings. He said the city is arranging active‑shooter and safety training for schools and will seek further help from outside agencies.
Beyond public safety, Burke used his report to announce local economic and programmatic items: a prospective manufacturer, Cleveland Controls, expressed interest in relocating with an estimated $5 million payroll; the city has secured roughly $3 million in brownfield remediation funding in recent years; and the administration is planning America 250 events including a June 28 walk‑a‑thon, July 1 bike ride and a free pool day on July 4. He also confirmed the Dan Castell Recreation Center pool fee reduction to $25 per person as part of a council ordinance considered that night.
The mayor did not provide additional operational details about the interagency meetings he said he will seek; he said he would contact county and federal partners and the Garfield Heights Police Department to coordinate next steps.
