A Cleveland man has been indicted on murder and related charges after police say he waited in a driveway, opened fire on a woman and killed her in front of her child. Authorities identified the victim as 46-year-old Janae Winnick. Police say her 15-year-old daughter was also hit and taken to University Hospitals with a gunshot wound to the leg. The suspect, 25-year-old Antwoine Sandford, was booked into the county corrections center and remains in custody.
According to Cleveland.com, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Sandford with murder, felonious assault and possessing a firearm while a convicted felon. Cleveland police obtained an arrest warrant for Sandford on Feb. 17, and court records list his arraignment for Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
Shooting On Schafer Avenue
The killing unfolded last summer on the 6700 block of Schafer Avenue, where dispatch logs and early reports say a shooter walked up to Winnick’s SUV in a driveway, opened fire and then ran. Cleveland19 reported that Winnick was pronounced dead at the scene and that her 15-year-old daughter was taken to University Hospitals with a leg wound. A local gun-violence memorial lists Winnick’s death as June 28, 2025, and her age as 46.
Police Say Gang Ties Suspected
Investigators have told reporters they believe the ambush may be tied to gang activity in the neighborhood and that the shooter left in a red sedan, based on police and dispatch records reviewed in media reports. Cleveland.com reports that detectives followed a mix of tips and forensic evidence that pointed to Sandford as the suspect. Court and police records also state that Sandford was shot in the chest during a 2024 fight but survived that earlier shooting…