Officers ‘Justified’ in Cracker Barrel Shooting

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason released the results of a six month investigation into a police involved shooting at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Brooklyn.

Prosecutor Mason concluded that “the officers followed protocol throughout the incident.”

The shooting stemmed from a tragic April 11 domestic violence shooting inside the restaurant.

Kate Allen, 42, was celebrating her daughter Kerri’s 10th birthday with another daughter, Kayla, who was also 10 years of age.

Police said Kate’s estranged husband, Kevin Allen, 51, of Strongsville, arrived and began acting strange after she told him she was leaving him.

On a 911 call to police, Kate can be heard telling the operator that Kevin was circling the building and may have been armed with a shotgun.

Brooklyn police arrived quickly but Kevin was already inside the restaurant.

On the new tapes released Monday, an employee is also heard calling 911 from inside of a bathroom where she was hiding under a counter.

Struggling through tears she said, “He just killed ‘em with a shotgun.”

When police entered the restaurant, Kate and Kerri were already deceased.

Kayla died a month later from her wounds.

Officers also said Kevin turned the gun toward them, and they shot and killed him.

Six months after the incident, Mason released the results of an internal investigation into the officers’ actions that night.

He said, “After reviewing the facts surrounding this tragic case, my office found that the officer’s actions throughout this incident were appropriate.”

*Click here for additional coverage of the shooting at Cracker Barrel…