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Suspect indicted in the murder of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's grandson

In this police body camera footage from January, Frank Q. Jackson talks to police during a Parma traffic stop. [WKYC YouTube]
Police body cam footage of Frank Q. Jackson sitting in a car with an open driver's side door.

A suspect in the murder of Frank Q. Jackson, grandson of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, has been indicted on one count of aggravated murder, one count of murder and two counts of felonious assault. The grand jury also added two firearms specifications to each count.

Twenty-nine-year-old Robert Shepard is accused of luring Jackson to an area on Anita Kennedy Avenue and East 70th Street in September, where Jackson was shot multiple times by an unidentified suspect. Prosecutors say Shepard and the gunman both fled the area located in the Kinsman neighborhood.

The 24-year-old Jackson died at the scene.

Frank Q. Jackson had multiple encounters with police over the past several years

In 2019, police investigating the daytime murder of 30-year-old Antonio Parra learned from witnesses that a car seen speeding away from the scene was registered to Frank Q. Jackson. Detectives showed up at the mayor’s home, where Frank Q. also lives. They left without taking the mayor's grandson into custody.

Shepard has pleaded not guilty and is being held at the Cuyahoga County jail on a $1 million bond. His arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

Glenn Forbes is supervising producer of newscasts at Ideastream Public Media.