01/10/03

A decorated Cleveland police officer who has been involved in at least 10 shootings was shot again last night, but suffered only bruises when his vest deflected the bullet, police said. His assailant was killed in the gunfire.

Patrolman James Simone, 54, who has spent nearly 30 years as a Cleveland police officer, was be ing treated at Metro Health Medical Cen ter.

The suspect, whose name was not re leased, died at Metro Health.

The shooting hap pened about 10:15 p.m. after police chased a man driving in a white car for several blocks, including along State Road near Biddulph Avenue.

The driver was traveling about 30 to 40 mph and would not yield to other drivers, according to officers' reports to police radio. After several blocks, the man turned on Stickney Avenue and stopped halfway down the block.

As the driver slowed, an officer warned over the radio that the man was armed.

Angela Forrey and Rob Ule, who live on Stickney, went outside when they heard a commotion. Ule said he saw several cruisers - including some from suburban police departments - and thought it was a police raid. Then the couple heard, "Drop the weapon! Drop the weapon!" and then gunshots - about 12 to 15, and Ule pulled Ferrey onto the porch floor.

Some neighbors said the man who was shot lived on the street. His white car was parked in a driveway.

No information was available last night about why the officers were chasing the man.

Fellow officers swarmed MetroHealth Medical Center to check on the patrolman's condition.

Simone, a Vietnam veteran, came to be known as Supercop after he survived 10 shootings in his first 15 years on the force, winning patrolman of the year and the medal of valor, according to news accounts.

"In every case, there was no alternative. One of us was going to die," Simone said in a 1983 interview about his shootings.

Plain Dealer reporters Damian Guevara and Angela D. Chatman and news researcher John Golonka contributed to this story.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

mgillispie@plaind.com, 440-602-4786