CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – We continue to search for answers following a massive law enforcement presence Tuesday on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland.

Cleveland police insist it was a planned training exercise.

19 The investigation looked at the key players and agencies who were present and whether this could be linked to the case of missing teenager Keshaun Williams, a police source confirmed to us on Tuesday.

These two Jeeps were removed from the Cuyahoga River on Tuesday with the help of several dozen first responders and personnel from several agencies.

Cleveland police won’t say if they have any connection to the Keshaun case.

Keshaun was 15 years old when he disappeared from Cleveland more than a year ago.

Cleveland police told us they were there for a training exercise planned weeks in advance with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

They said permits are needed to clear waterways to be able to remove these vehicles, something they are currently investigating.

“It is important to note that while these vehicles could potentially be linked to the Keshaun case, they could also be linked to another crime or might not be linked to a violent crime at all. It would be premature to speculate on a connection at this point. Cleveland police said in a written statement Tuesday afternoon.

The Cleveland Fire Department told us that ODNR requested that their fireboat be used as a dive platform for the SERT and Westshore dive teams and that Cleveland Police later requested a ladder truck and a motor to water vehicles.

The Cuyahoga County Mobile Command Unit also assisted. The county told us the fire command vehicle was participating in a training exercise.

Investigators on site

19 Investigators spotted some key investigators at the river’s edge for hours Tuesday.

Some of them lead missing persons investigations in Northeast Ohio and worked on Keshaun’s case, including Det. Kevin Callahan with Cleveland Police, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott and members of their Missing Children Unit, including Deputy Marshal Vinny Piccoli, who leads the unit.

He is also spearheading Keshaun’s case for the US Marshals.

We also recognized a lead detective from the US Marshals’ Missing Children Unit in Washington DC.

The US Marshals told us that any questions regarding the investigation into Keshaun’s disappearance should be directed to the Cleveland Police Department, as they are the lead agency on the case.

We learned that the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) sent its dive team and Special Victims Unit to the scene.

BCI initially told us its assistance was requested by ODNR police, Cleveland police and the U.S. Marshals.

On Wednesday, a BCI spokesperson clarified that “the US Marshals have asked BCI to assist with an ongoing investigation.”

“I can tell you that I have not asked all of these resources to come here and say we are doing this search for this vehicle. If that had been the case, I would have been there and I would have been transparent about it,” Cleveland Police Chief Annie Todd said in an interview with 19 News on Wednesday.

“I tried to change everything to make sure we are transparent about what we do, and as law enforcement we always have to be sensitive to everything we do,” the chief said. “We have to investigate based on facts and we had no facts to believe that this is where our investigation is going.” If we had solid information, we would have been transparent about this. We didn’t have anything solid that led us to believe we were going to find anything.

Call for any information

Keshaun’s case has received a lot more attention this week and maybe that will lead to more tips to help him get home.

The cash reward is $27,500 for information leading to Keshaun Williams.

You can call Cleveland Police with any information at 216-623-5400 or contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4-WANTED.

You can also submit a tip online at USMarshals.gov.

Tipsters can remain anonymous.

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