Former Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman said he was shocked by the fatal shooting of Tearicka Cradle, 45, who died inside of her Northeast Columbus home early Sunday morning.
"Hard to get my head around it,” Coleman said. “I was emotional because I knew how far Tearicka came from and how hard she worked to restore her life and then she in turn restored other people's lives."
Cradle had attended the Restoration Academy (now called the EDGE program) created by Coleman. She was one of its first graduates in 2012. It is a work program for people with felony convictions. Cradle went on to became a coordinator for the academy. She had worked for nearly nine years with the city. Her last position was as an assistant at the Department of Building and Zoning Services.
Coleman said he frequently spoke to Cradle when she worked at Restoration Academy.
"She was a determined, inspiring individual who fell down in life, who was determined to get back up and to contribute back to the community and that determination was a part of who she was,” Coleman said.
Columbus Police continue to search for a suspect in Cradle’s killing. They report a witness saw someone leave the scene in a dark-colored SUV.
Coleman said he supports efforts by Mayor Andrew Ginther to target violent gang members and reach out to young people with intervention strategies. He adds that police need help from the community.
"But what needs to happen is that folks in the neighborhood, folks in the community need to stand up and say enough is enough,” the former said “We can't have this anymore."
Columbus police say at least 11 people were shot over the weekend, including six people on Sunday morning alone.
