In a shocking incident that unfolded on a busy Cleveland interstate, a man with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested for firing into an SUV carrying a father and two young children. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, has left the community in disbelief and raised questions about the motives behind the targeted attack.
The suspect, Tevin Copes a 33-year-old resident of Cleveland, was taken into custody after a brief foot chase on Thursday evening. He is currently being held in the Cuyahoga County jail on a $1 million bond facing charges of felonious assault.
The Incident on I-71
Around 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, the Cleveland police responded to reports of gunfire near the West 25th Street exit of Interstate 71 southbound. The victims, a 33-year-old man and his two children, were traveling in a Jeep SUV when shots were fired into the vehicle.
The 9-year-old girl inside the SUV was struck by bullets in her left knee and right leg while the 6-year-old boy miraculously escaped unharmed. The father was grazed by a bullet but managed to drive the vehicle to a safe location before seeking medical attention. All victims were treated and released from the hospital on Wednesday night.
Investigation and Arrest
The police investigation into the incident was swift and thorough. Detectives utilized video footage from the highway, victim statements and recovered shell casings to identify Copes as the suspect. The Cleveland Police Violent Crime Reduction Team along with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office played pivotal roles in the investigation.
On Thursday night, detectives located the suspect vehicle, a black Lincoln MKZ parked and empty. They observed Copes attempting to enter a nearby home and ordered him to surrender. Copes fled on foot through a backyard and jumped a fence before being apprehended without incident. The vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting was impounded for evidence processing.
Copes’ Criminal History
Court records reveal that Copes has a lengthy criminal history dating back to June 2012. He has been booked 18 different times and sentenced to prison twice on drug and weapons charges. Most recently, on July 20, 2026 Copes was sentenced to five years of probation for convictions related to strangulation, domestic violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to complete an anger management program.
Interestingly, the woman named in the court records as the victim in that case shares the same name as the victim in a domestic violence case. The man convicted in that case is the driver of the SUV that Copes allegedly shot into on Wednesday. Investigators have not yet disclosed the motive behind the attack but have stated that it was not a random act of violence and that the victim and suspect are known to one another.
The investigation into this disturbing incident is ongoing, and the facts of the case will be presented to the court for final determination. The community remains on edge as they await further developments in this case.
