Police identify suspect in fatal Winton Terrace apartment shooting

CINCINNATI - Police have identified the suspect wanted in connection with a fatal shooting at a Winton Terrace apartment early Thursday morning.

Authorities are searching for Leonard J. Lanier, 26, who allegedly shot to death Strawberry Edwards, 21, in an apartment in the 700 block of Dutch Colony Drive at about 4 a.m.

Edwards was the mother of a 5-month-old child who is safe, police said. According to Edwards' family, she was three months pregnant at the time of the shooting. Officials have not released information about the reported fetus’ wellbeing at this time.

Edwards brother, Ruebenn Knox, said Lanier was trying to get through Edwards' back door when they started fighting.

“But I guess it got heated and it got physical, and I guess, I don’t know, through anger, jealousy, whatever it was, I guess he pulled a gun and shot her," Knox said.

In a 911 call made by Lanier's mother, she told police that her son showed up at her home with Edwards' 5-month-old son and told her that he had shot Edwards six times.

"My son just told me that he had shot his baby's mom and.... he said he shot her six times," Lanier's mother said in the 911 call.

Lanier is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, 145 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. His last known address was in the 4000 block of Romaine Drive.

Police say Lanier should be considered armed and dangerous.

Dominique Saunders, a close friend of Edwards, said she was a great mom and excellent friend.

"And she did well by everybody. All of us need to know why this happened to somebody like her," Saunders said.

Erica Johnson, Edwards' cousin, described her as a beautiful person.

"She did not deserve to die the way that she did," Johnson said. "She did not deserve that at all. She was really beautiful."

“We just got to stop the killing between us black people right here," Saunders said. "We go through this almost every day. Every week, somebody out here getting shot. We just need to stop that.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040.

9 On Your Side reporter Tom McKee contributed to this report.

Stay with 9 On Your Side and WCPO Digital for updates as they become available.

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