Man killed by Cleveland police officer at University Circle bowling alley helped neighbors, homeless
Mother says police never tried to contact her about her son's death.
On Saturday, 21-year-old Thomas Yatsko was shot and killed by an off-duty Cleveland police officer at the Corner Alley bowling alley and bar in University Circle.
Police said that Yatsko was in a fight at the bar and was kicked out along with another person for the brawl. According to police statements, Yatsko then returned and attacked Sgt. Dean Graziolli, who shot him.
But Yatsko’s friends and family say that simply doesn’t describe the man they know.
A man of service
Yatsko’s mother, Melissa Yatsko, said that her son spent his time shoveling driveways and helping the homeless. In fact, a few days before he was killed, Yatsko noticed a homeless man walk into the Dunkin’ Donuts where he worked. After watching the man, who had no shoes on, count pennies, Yatsko wrapped a donut for him for free.
“He always would do that for people who didn’t have money,” Melissa Yatsko said. “He told me that day ‘these people come in and they’re so miserable and I just want to make them smile.'”
Yatsko was well-loved at the donut shop, his mother said. In fact, customers there knew his name and would often ask for him.
“Everyone knows him around here,” she said.
He also tried to live by example for his younger brothers, Anthony, 17, and Tyler, 16, by encouraging them to go to college.
“He was a good mentor,” Anthony said. “He was hard on us. He always told us ‘don’t make mistakes.'”
The police didn’t tell her
In addition to her confusion over the police report that simply doesn’t match who Melissa knows her son to be, the distraught mother said that she didn’t even know her son was dead until reporters began calling her for comments on Tuesday morning.
Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said that police tried to contact Yatsko’s father several times. However, since Melissa does not live with him, she was not contacted.
The incident is now being investigated by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff.
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