By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper

CLEVELAND,Ohio-Cleveland Ward 2 Councilman Zack Reed will host a forum in response to the recent rape and murders of two Black women on Cleveland's east side and the attempted abduction of a third woman on Tuesday, April 9 at 6 pm at the E Prep Woodland Hills Campus, 929 Crane Ave. near E. 93rd St. and Union Ave. in Cleveland. Panelists include Cleveland Ward 5 Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland, Cleveland Ward 6 Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell, Fourth District Police Commander Deon McCaulley, and a representative from the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.

For more information contact Councilman Reed at 216-664-4945.

Jazmine Trotter, 20, was raped and murdered last week at an abandoned house at E. 93rd St and Prince Ave. in Cleveland, a mile from the site  at E. 93 St. and Bessemer Ave. where Christine  Malone, 45, was  raped and murdered, also last week. An abduction attempt last week of of a third  Black woman at E. 66th St. has Black elected officials, family members of the victims and community activists upset too.

The aforementioned rape and murders come on the heels of the celebrated rape and murders of 11 Black women at the Imperial Ave. home of since convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell, who was convicted in 2011 by a Cuyahoga County jury on 82 of 83 counts, including aggravated murder. Sowell's convictions, including the death penalty, are on appeal before the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals.

Reach Cleveland Urban News.Com by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com and by phone at 216-659-0473.