Cleveland Announces Funeral Plans For Fallen Police Officer

The City of Cleveland has announced funeral services for a police officer shot in the line of duty late last week. The funeral for Det. James Skernivitz will take place 10 a.m. Friday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Det. James Skernivitz was a 22-year veteran of the force. [City of Cleveland]

Skernivitz was assigned to the Gang Impact Unit and was recently sworn in as a Violent Crimes Task Force officer as part of the federal Operation Legend initiative. He was shot and killed in the line of duty Sept. 3. Two juveniles and one adult have been charged in Skernivitz' death, and one suspect, 18-year-old David McDaniel,  appeared in court Wednesday morning.

A procession from the funeral home to the fieldhouse will take place after 9 a.m.

The funeral is private and open only to family and select others, according to a city press release, but will be streamed on the Cleveland Division of Police’s Facebook page. The FieldHouse will follow coronavirus safety protocols for the service, and the ongoing mask mandate will be enforced.

The following streets will be closed during the Friday service:

• Carnegie Avenue will be restricted to one eastbound lane between East 9th Street and Ontario Street.
• Ontario Street will be restricted to two southbound lanes from Carnegie Avenue to Huron Road.
• Huron Road will be restricted to local access to businesses and garages from Ontario Street to Prospect Avenue.
• East 4th Street will be closed between High Street and Huron Road.

No parking will be permitted on portions of Ontario Street, Huron Road, East 4th Street, East 9th Street and Bolivar Road.

Calling hours for Skernivitz will take place the day before the funeral, the release said, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at A. Ripepi and Sons Funeral Home in Middleburg Heights.