Photo: Cleveland Clinic
Last year, José Ervin Jr. and his wife, Scierra, made headlines when they celebrated the birth of their twins, A’Ria and José Ervin III, on their shared birthday, August 18. José, calling it the “best birthday present ever,” expressed his excitement for the family’s future. Just days after their birth, he was already envisioning their first joint birthday celebration, “We can just do one big celebration, do it all at one time… that would be beautiful.”
But tragedy struck less than two months after that joyful event. On October 4, with Scierra expecting their third child, José was fatally shot in Garfield Heights, Ohio. He was 32 years old. His death has left his family shattered, and no arrests have been made in connection with the case.
José’s sister, Chloe Ervin-Dozier, confirmed his death to, describing her brother as a source of joy for everyone around him. “José was the light of everybody’s life,” she said. “It’s hard that he’s not with us.”
The shooting took place in the early hours of Friday, October 4. According to reports from local outlets such as Cleveland.com, 19 News, and ABC5, José was shot multiple times at a Dunkin’ Donuts on Turney Road. A car of interest has been identified, and a nearby Shell gas station has also become part of the investigation.
Chloe Ervin-Dozier shared more details about the night her brother was killed. She explained that José had been out with his best friend at a local bar before heading to a gas station. Video footage, she said, shows that her brother asked a group of people for a cigarette. What seemed like a simple request soon escalated into a confrontation. When José realized one of the men in the group had a gun, he tried to back away but was ultimately pursued and shot a short distance away at Dunkin’ Donuts.
“He chased my brother down like he was prey,” Chloe’ told PEOPLE in a phone interview on October 11, still waiting for authorities to make an arrest. José was rushed to Marymount Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:34 a.m.
As the family mourns the loss of José, they continue to seek justice and hope for answers. In the meantime, they are left to remember him as a loving father, husband, and the “light” of their lives.
