I-Team: Man shot but still goes to court — see video

CLEVELAND (WJW) — Video released to the FOX 8 I-Team shows a convict so desperate to stay out of prison he went to see a probation officer even after he had been shot.

Body camera video captured the moment Cuyahoga County sheriff’s deputies and protective services officers encountered Jovan Vereen.

“Bruh, I got shot right here, bruh. Out my stomach and in my back,” he said.

You quickly hear a call to dispatch from the officers and deputies working security: “Does someone have … you have anybody in the office to bring me a first aid kit?”

But this required more than a first aid kit.

Jovan Vereen made more effort than you’d ever expect to keep an appointment to see his probation officer. Last month, he staggered into the Cuyahoga County Justice Center after he had been shot.

“This is what we go through when we do the right thing. When we go to work. All this,” he said as he waited for treatment.

He told the story of what happened.

“I was coming out the house, coming out, and I heard these dudes. They walked up on me, and I told ‘em, ‘I ain’t got no problem with y’all.’ He just pulled out a gun and started shooting. I rolled off on a bike,” Vereen said.

The court security team then gets some bandages and tells Vereen, “What I can do is I can bandage it up until EMS gets here.”

Vereen showed a commitment to doing the right thing in a way not seen before. He kept his appointment after getting shot so that he didn’t get sent back to jail for not appearing.

“I ain’t want to not come down and get a warrant, then gotta go through the jail,” he said.

A deputy responded, “I understand, brother, but you got a gunshot wound.”

Vereen then says, “I’m a soldier.”

We checked court records and found Vereen has had Cuyahoga County convictions for gun charges, receiving stolen property and more. He’s on probation now, but we also checked with the state, and records show he has been to prison twice before.

So what about being on probation now? The Court told us Vereen is scheduled to be on probation until September. Nothing has been filed to end probation early, even after this appointment.

An ambulance took Vereen to the hospital. We were unable to contact him for this story. But, he made sure the court didn’t have to track him down despite being shot.

In fact, Vereen now needs justice. We’re told the shooting is under investigation.

Before going to the ER, Vereen said, “I was on the bike, they came up on me. I’m tired of going to jail.”

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