A 24-year-old Cleveland man is facing 21 criminal charges after authorities say he shot a civilian, opened fire on police officers, and led multiple units on a dangerous pursuit that left five officers injured before ending in a crash and arrest.
The body-camera footage was presented by the YouTube channel Midwest Safety, which said the May 23, 2026, incident began when Cleveland officers were flagged down after a 33-year-old man had been shot.
What initially looked like a response to a wounded civilian quickly became a much more dangerous situation, because police say the suspected shooter was still nearby and soon began firing at officers.
Officers First Find a Wounded Man
According to Midwest Safety’s narration, officers arrived in the area of East 53rd Street and Fleet Avenue and found the shooting victim conscious and able to speak.
The man told officers he had been walking nearby when he saw a gun and started running. He said he heard the shot and then realized he had been hit.
Police asked him where the gunfire appeared to come from, and the victim pointed officers toward the other side of a nearby building.
While the wounded man received medical attention, one officer walked to a nearby doughnut shop to ask whether anyone had seen the shooting.
A witness told the officer that two men had been standing near an auto store when a dark gray or nearly black car came around the corner. According to the witness, someone inside the vehicle exchanged words with the men before pulling out a gun.
The witness said the vehicle remained in the street while the shooter fired, then moved away through an alley.
That witness account gave police an important description at a moment when officers were still trying to understand whether the shooter had fled on foot or remained in a vehicle.
The Suspect Allegedly Fires at Police
Using the witness information, officers soon located what they believed was the suspect vehicle.
Before they could make contact, according to Midwest Safety, the driver allegedly fired directly at a police cruiser.
The body-camera audio captures the immediate confusion after the shot. Officers can be heard checking themselves for injuries and inspecting the patrol vehicle after realizing a bullet had struck it.
One officer said he felt as though he had been hit near the elbow.
Midwest Safety later reported that one officer suffered shrapnel injuries after a bullet struck the driver’s side door of the cruiser. Another officer sustained facial injuries from glass and shrapnel during the incident.
The fact that the first shot at police came before a full traffic stop had even developed shows how quickly the encounter escalated. Officers were not dealing with someone who merely tried to drive away; authorities allege the suspect turned the vehicle itself into a moving platform for gunfire.
A High-Speed Pursuit Spreads Across Cleveland
Other officers began tracking the suspect vehicle as it moved through city streets, with radio traffic giving continuous updates about direction and speed.
The pursuit passed through multiple roadways as speeds climbed, at times reaching more than 80 mph.
Officers reported relatively light traffic during parts of the chase, but the danger remained high because police say the suspect continued driving aggressively while armed.
At one point, an officer reported additional gunfire from the fleeing vehicle.
“Shots fired at my vehicle,” the officer said over the radio, adding that he believed his cruiser had been struck.
The officer also reported returning fire.
Midwest Safety said the suspect continued driving while police units tried to coordinate their response, including discussions about whether a PIT maneuver could be used to end the pursuit.
A police K-9 was inside one of the cruisers during the chase. Body-camera audio captures an officer urgently ordering the dog into the back of the vehicle after gunfire struck nearby.
The K-9 was not injured.
The pursuit became even more dangerous as separate police vehicles crashed while responding. Midwest Safety reported that three additional officers were hurt in those crashes, bringing the total number of injured officers to five.
The Chase Ends With a Crash and Arrest
The pursuit finally ended after the suspect vehicle crashed near Chagrin Boulevard.
Officers rushed toward the vehicle and ordered the driver to show his hands and get on the ground.
The body-camera footage captures several officers shouting commands while trying to pull the suspect from the vehicle and secure his arms.
At one point, officers warned that he appeared to be reaching, which added another layer of tension to an already chaotic arrest.
Police eventually took the man into custody.
Midwest Safety identified him as 24-year-old Brian Branch.
Branch suffered a broken leg in the crash and was transported to a hospital for treatment before being taken to the Cuyahoga County Jail, according to the channel’s narration.
Officers also recovered a firearm from his vehicle.
That recovery became a key part of the case because police had already linked Branch to the earlier shooting and the gunfire directed at officers during the pursuit.
Five Officers Were Injured
Midwest Safety reported that the original 33-year-old victim had been shot twice before police arrived.
Investigators also recovered a bullet casing from the scene of that shooting.
During the chase that followed, one officer suffered shrapnel injuries when a bullet struck the driver’s side door of a cruiser.
Another officer suffered facial injuries from broken glass and shrapnel.
Three more officers were hurt in separate crashes connected to the pursuit.
All five officers were treated at a hospital and later released.
Considering the number of shots fired and the speeds involved, the fact that all five officers survived with nonfatal injuries is remarkable. The incident involved gunfire, moving vehicles, crowded city streets, and several crashes, all of which created multiple chances for the outcome to become much worse.
The danger also extended well beyond the officers and suspect. A moving shootout in a city can place drivers, pedestrians, nearby businesses, and residents at risk even if they are nowhere near the original crime.
A Grand Jury Returns 21 Charges
Court records cited by Midwest Safety show that Branch was initially charged with five counts of felonious assault on a peace officer and one count of felonious assault related to the civilian shooting.
The case later expanded considerably.
A grand jury indicted Branch on 21 criminal charges, according to the channel.
Those charges included six counts of attempted murder and seven counts of felonious assault.
He was also charged with one count of assaulting a police dog, one count of vandalism, one count of criminal damaging, three counts of discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises, and two counts of failing to comply with the order or signal of a police officer.
The number of charges reflects how prosecutors appear to have separated the incident into several distinct alleged acts rather than treating the pursuit as one continuous event.
That can make a major difference in a case like this, because each alleged shooting, injury, damaged vehicle, and act of fleeing can potentially support its own criminal count.
Branch Pleads Not Guilty
Midwest Safety reported that Branch pleaded not guilty to all 21 charges during his arraignment.
His bond was increased from $200,000 to $1 million.
The case now moves through the court system, where prosecutors will have to prove the allegations against him beyond a reasonable doubt.
The body-camera footage shows how quickly the May 23 encounter developed from a shooting investigation into a citywide emergency involving multiple officers, gunfire, crashes, and a high-speed pursuit.
Police first approached the case as a search for whoever had shot a man near Fleet Avenue.
Within minutes, officers themselves were under fire.
By the time the chase ended, five officers had been injured, a police K-9 had been placed in danger, several vehicles had been damaged, and Branch was facing allegations serious enough to produce six attempted-murder counts among the 21 charges.
Branch remains presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.
Gary’s love for adventure and preparedness stems from his background as a former Army medic. Having served in remote locations around the world, he knows the importance of being ready for any situation, whether in the wilderness or urban environments. Gary’s practical medical expertise blends with his passion for outdoor survival, making him an expert in both emergency medical care and rugged, off-the-grid living. He writes to equip readers with the skills needed to stay safe and resilient in any scenario.
