Lorain man charged with Elyria man's shooting death in Oberlin

A Lorain man has been charged with shooting and killing an Elyria man in Oberlin in January 2021. Canaan Sullivan, 23, of Fields Way, was indicted in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on June 9 on charges of murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence, all felonies, and firearms specifications for allegedly using a gun in the commission of a felony. He is accused of shooting 21-year-old Tray Porter, who died later at a Cleveland hospital. Judge James Miraldi set bond in the murder case at $500,000 cash. A message seeking comment was left for Sullivan's attorney, Anthony Baker.Sullivan also is being held without bond in the Lorain County Jail at least until July 15 by order of Judge Chris Cook in another criminal case filed late last year. Chief Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Chris Pierre said Sullivan is charged with one count of purposeful murder and two counts of felony murder. Multiple charges of murder can be filed even if there is only a single victim in a murder case. Each charge alleges the killing happened through different courses of action or conduct. Oberlin police officers responded to the 200 block of South Park Street in Oberlin at about 4 p.m. Jan. 31, 2021, for a report of shots fired. Porter was found on the ground with a gunshot wound to his upper thigh, surrounded by a small group of people. Officers performed first aid until Porter was taken to Mercy Health-Allen Hospital. He was transferred to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, where he later died. A witness told police that two people had showed up at the house to smoke with Porter. Some sort of confrontation took place, and a witness said someone shouted for Porter to "get down on the ground." A semi-automatic handgun and spots of blood were found in the snow outside. A witness said a Black man ran from the residence into a wooded area to the east. Oberlin schools were put on lockdown the following day, and children were given to option of schooling from home. Porter is survived by his daughter, parents, siblings and extended family, according to his obituary. He was a member of Original Glorious Apostolic Church on Foster Avenue in Elyria, a drummer and musician with "an infectious smile and a sweet spirit," who was "goofy but yet kindhearted," his obituary said. Sullivan also faces felony drug charges in a case filed in common pleas court in December. He has pleaded not guilty to 12 felonies in that case, including trafficking in fentanyl, having weapons under disability, receiving stolen property, cocaine possession and others. Baker is representing Sullivan in that case also. The next hearing is in Miraldi's court on Aug. 5. In that case, Lorain police searched Sullivan's E Street residence in October and found two guns including a stolen .38 caliber revolver, more than 400 pills containing fentanyl, 135 grams of fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and more than $12,000 in cash. In June 2021, Sullivan pleaded guilty to charges of improper handling of firearms and carrying a concealed weapon in common pleas court and Cook granted him court-ordered drug treatment to be overseen by the Lorain County Adult Probation Department. After Sullivan violated the rules of the intervention in lieu program, Cook resentenced him to two years probation in October. Cook has set a hearing on Sullivan's latest alleged probation violation for July 15. He has ordered Sullivan held without bond in the Lorain County Jail until then. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com or on Twitter @daveobrienCT.