Three charged with riot, assault after shooting at Midview Crossing complex in Elyria

Three men have been charged in connection with a fight and disturbance Saturday in Elyria that ended with one person shot and wounded and two others injured. In a news release, the Elyria Police Department announced the arrest of William Jaworske, 20, of Larkmoor Street in Lorain on charges of aggravated riot, a felony, and assault, a misdemeanor. He was being held on $1,000 bond in the Lorain County Jail. Warrants also were issued for the arrest of Elisha Witherspoon, 21, of Park Meadow Lane in Elyria, and Isaiah Reddick, 20, of South Park Street in Oberlin, on charges identical to those against Jaworske, police said. Elyria police officers responded just before 5 p.m. Saturday to a report of a disturbance involving a firearm at the Midview Crossing Apartments, 1864 Middle Ave. There they found the three injured men, including one with a gunshot wound. All three were taken by ambulance to University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center. Their injuries were described as not life-threatening. Elyria police spokesman Lt. Thomas Wade said one of the charged suspects was the person injured by gunshot. He declined to say which one, citing the ongoing investigation. A preliminary investigation revealed there was a confrontation between "multiple" individuals in the parking lot of the complex, and a shot was fired that hit one of the victims. Detectives did multiple interviews and reviewed surveillance footage that corroborated the sequence of events and resulted in charges. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Joanna Catalano at (440) 326-1213 or jcatalano@cityofelyria.org. In a news release, Elyria Police Chief James Welsh recognized officers and detectives for their quick response and work on the case. "We're committed to holding those involved accountable and continuing to address violent crime in our community," Welsh said. Reddick pleaded guilty in March 2025 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court to improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon and disrupting public services, all felonies, plus three misdemeanor counts of aggravated menacing and one count of assault. Judge Giovanna Bremke sentenced Reddick to community control, which he later vioated. She re-sentenced him to one year in prison in September, with credit for 168 days already served, according to court records. Witherspoon is free on bond in a separate misdemeanor assault case in Elyria Municipal Court with a pretrial hearing set March 30, according to court and jail records. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.