A tragic incident in Stow, Ohio, has left a community grieving after a recent college graduate, Megan Keleman, 25, was fatally shot while sitting in a Taco Bell drive-thru. The shocking event occurred on Wednesday night, August 18, 2024, when Keleman, a recent graduate of Cleveland State University (CSU), was senselessly murdered by a man who then turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide. according to the New York Post.
According to Stow Police Chief Jeffrey Film, the incident unfolded just before 7:20 p.m. as Keleman waited in her car with her dog, having just placed her order at the drive-thru. The suspect, identified as 53-year-old Jason Williams, abruptly rammed into the back of her vehicle. Distressed by the collision, Keleman reportedly told a Taco Bell employee over the speaker to call 911. Moments later, Williams exited his vehicle, approached Keleman’s car, and, without warning, opened fire, fatally shooting her. He then turned the gun on himself.
Both Keleman and Williams were pronounced dead at the scene. During a press conference on Thursday, Chief Film emphasized the randomness of the crime, stating, “We have no information to indicate that the two subjects knew each other.” He expressed deep sorrow over the senseless loss, adding, “As chief of police and a community leader, I would like to say that this is a true tragedy. Not only have the Kelemans lost a daughter, but we as a community have lost one of our daughters.”
The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed the cause of death for both individuals. Keleman, a homicide victim, succumbed to gunshot wounds to the neck, while Williams died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear, and investigators have not yet identified a clear motive behind Williams’ actions. As Chief Film stated, they “may never know why.”
Bodycam footage from responding officers revealed that Keleman had managed to call her father shortly after her car was struck. “I’m gonna stay on the line, I’m coming right up there,” Keleman’s father was heard telling an officer in the footage. Tragically, by the time help arrived, it was too late to save her.
Keleman’s family, devastated by the loss, issued a brief statement expressing their grief. “We are enduring an immensely painful loss following the death of our daughter,” they said. “We appreciate the community’s support and hope that our request for privacy will be honored so that we can continue to focus on supporting each other through this difficult period.”
Megan Keleman was a bright and promising young woman, having just earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration from CSU in May. She majored in Finance and Financial Management Services and was known as an “active leader on campus,” deeply involved in university activities such as campus tours, and student orientations, and serving as the editor-in-chief of the university’s student newspaper, “The Cauldron.” CSU President Dr. Laura Bloomberg expressed the university’s condolences, saying, “We send our deepest sympathies to Megan’s family, friends, and loved ones. We have lost a caring, engaged, and optimistic member of the CSU community.”
The tragedy has also raised questions about whether more could have been done to prevent the incident. Williams, who had a prior criminal record, was arrested in April for several offenses, including a weapons charge. Despite these charges, he was released in May on a $5,000 bond, under the condition that he should not possess any firearms. Chief Film acknowledged Williams’ prior arrest but noted that the investigation has yet to uncover any indication that these past issues were connected to the events of Wednesday night.
This heartbreaking event has left a community mourning the loss of a promising young life and questioning the circumstances that led to such a senseless act of violence.