While on patrol close to the Interstate 71 South exit ramp at West 25th Street and View Road in Cleveland, Ohio, early on Thursday, January 15, 2026, members of the Cleveland Emergency Medical Services team made a somber find.
Around 2:30 a.m., they spotted 20-year-old Johnathan Payne of Cleveland suffering from a gunshot wound in the area adjacent to the highway. The location, a transitional zone between the Tremont neighborhood and industrial sections near the freeway, offered little immediate context for the injury, prompting an urgent response.
EMS personnel quickly contacted the Cleveland Division of Police and began administering first aid on site, working to stabilize Payne amid the pre-dawn chill. The severity of the gunshot wound necessitated rapid transport to MetroHealth Medical Center, the region’s Level I trauma facility equipped to handle critical cases. Despite the combined efforts of paramedics and hospital staff, Payne was pronounced dead a short time after arrival, turning the incident into a homicide investigation under the Cleveland Police Department’s Homicide Unit.
Investigators believe the shooting occurred near West 25th Street and View Road, with Payne subsequently found on or near the I-71 South ramp. This suggests a possible sequence where the victim was either moved after the gunfire or attempted to seek help in the vicinity of the busy interstate interchange. No weapon was reported at the scene, and initial reports provided no details on potential suspects, motives, or witnesses, leaving detectives to canvass the area for surveillance footage and leads in the quiet industrial-residential border zone.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office officially identified Johnathan Payne following the necessary examination, confirming the cause tied to the gunshot injury. As a young Cleveland resident, his death added to the city’s concerns over gun violence, particularly in areas proximate to major highways where incidents can unfold rapidly and with limited immediate oversight. The medical examiner’s role ensured accurate documentation for the ongoing probe.
Cleveland Police continue to appeal for public assistance in piecing together the events leading to the shooting near the Interstate 71 South exit ramp at West 25th Street and View Road. Anyone with information about activity in the area around 2:30 a.m. on January 15, 2026, has been encouraged to contact the Homicide Unit directly or submit tips anonymously. The case remains active, reflecting the challenges of investigating isolated nighttime violence in urban fringe locations.