12 injured in Toledo shooting, suspect on the run
At least 12 people suffered gunshot wounds, two seriously, in a shooting near a neighborhood festival in Toledo, Ohio.
Twelve people were injured in a shooting at a popular neighborhood festival in Ohio last weekend, which authorities said “stemmed from a conflict involving two opposing groups.”
At approximately 5:37 p.m. ET on June 6, Toledo Police responded to a report of a shooting near the Old West End Festival. The Old West End Festival is a long-running community event that draws thousands of visitors each year to one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods. Authorities said there was already a large police presence at the scene, including off-duty police officers working for the festival, and some officers said they heard gunshots.
At a June 9 press conference, Toledo Police Chief Michael Trendle said investigators believe a dispute between two rival groups led to a “foot chase” and physical altercation, which then escalated into a “shootout between the parties.”
After multiple interviews and a review of video evidence, investigators determined that during the altercation, one person produced a firearm and fired the weapon, and someone from a rival group returned fire, Trindle said.
“While investigators believe some of the victims were intentionally targeted, the majority of those injured appear to be innocent bystanders caught up in this senseless act of violence,” Trendle said.
Police have not released the identities of the victims injured in the shooting, but said 12 people suffered gunshot wounds. Toledo Police Lt. Dan Gerken said the people shot ranged in age from 14 to 61, with most in their early 20s.
“Our thoughts are with the victims and all those whose lives have been affected by this event. We continue to look forward to their continued recovery,” Trendle said. “Right now, our focus is on finding those responsible for this violence.”
The police chief said the investigation is ongoing and investigators are working to identify the suspects involved in the incident.
Police: ‘Multiple persons of interest’ identified but no arrests made
Authorities previously said they were searching for at least two suspects who started shooting near the Old West End festival. The suspects are believed to be two males between the ages of 18 and 24, Trindle said.
Following the incident, Trendle said police executed search warrants and identified “several persons of interest” as they pursued leads in the investigation.
“We have not made any arrests at this time,” the police chief said. “We have some very important leads as to who is involved and we hope to make some arrests here soon.”
Investigators also recovered two firearms believed to be related to the incident, Trindle said. Firearms were being processed and examined as part of the investigation.
Mayor: All victims injured in shooting expected to survive
Of the 12 people shot and killed in the incident, investigators believe three were involved in the incident and nine were “innocent bystanders,” Trendle said. Police previously said in an update on June 7 that all 12 victims were “reported to be in stable condition and continuing to improve.”
At a June 9 press conference, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapuszkiewicz said the victim was “expected to survive.” Nine of the victims have been discharged from hospital, and three remain in hospital, but their condition is not critical, it added.
“They are stable or in good condition,” Kapczkiewicz said. “So we didn’t lose our lives. It’s a blessing, if not a miracle.”
City officials hope to set a new date to end the Toledo festival
Organizers canceled the June 7 festival event after the shooting, as authorities asked residents to avoid the area as they searched for suspects, collected evidence and tried to determine the cause of the shooting.
Kapuszkiewicz said he thinks the city should set a date to end the Old West End Festival. He added that setting the date for late summer or early September “should close out the weekend the way it should and show that we can come together.”
Kapuszkiewicz said city officials were also discussing security changes for events such as the Old West End Festival, including a stronger curfew, the use of wristbands at entrances, and more cameras and bag checks.
“Our hearts are broken. It will take time to get over what happened and try to prevent it from happening again,” the mayor said.
Contributed by: N’dea Yancey-Bragg, Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, and Anthony Thompson, USA TODAY
