Zyshonne Austin and Ja’Quez Lyons, Armed Carjackings and Gun Store Robbery, Ohio 2024

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Two Cleveland Men Indicted for Armed Carjackings and Gun Store Robbery

Two Cleveland men, Zyshonne Austin and Ja’Quez Lyons, 18, have been indicted in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy involving armed carjackings around Ohio City, Tremont, and Shaker Square, and a gun store robbery in Streetsboro.

According to court documents, Austin and Lyons used firearms in armed carjackings, including an incident on April 14, where a man was getting out of his red Volkswagen Passat on Larchmere Avenue when another man approached with a gun and demanded his car. Another man acted as a lookout.

On April 15, Austin, Lyons, and a third man, James Luke, 18, stole 10 firearms from Top Shot Firearms in Streetsboro. The suspects used an object to smash through glass display cases and steal the guns. Blood was found at the scene.

On April 16, Cleveland police officers responded to a call of shots fired near East 123rd Street and recovered the Volkswagen Passat. Inside the car, they found price tags from the stolen firearms, some of which had blood on them, a rag with suspected blood on it, a hammer, and a receipt from the McDonald’s at 3050 Carnegie Avenue from April 15, among other items.

Austin was arrested on April 21 after he and another suspect fled after crashing the stolen Toyota IA near Kinsman Avenue. Austin had cuts on his hands, according to court documents. Lyons was arrested on May 7 after he used a firearm to steal a 2016 Lincoln MKC.

A DNA test showed Austin’s blood matched the blood on the price tags of the stolen guns and blood on the hammer recovered in the stolen car. A search of Austin’s phone revealed numerous computer searches around the time of the robbery, including “Top Shot Firearms” and “gun store breakin (sic) Streetsboro.” Austin also sent images of himself and others with the stolen firearms and in front of the stolen Volkswagen Passat, according to court documents.

“These defendants pointed loaded guns at everyday people in our community and stole their cars, then used at least one of those stolen cars to drive to Portage County and hold up a gun store,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “Our community is safer with these predators behind bars. This case is also another demonstration of working with local police and prosecutors to target the worst of the worst.”

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are committed to pursuing those who steal firearms from licensed firearms dealers and reduce violent gun crime in their communities.