Multiple Incidents in the West End and Over-the-Rhine
Several shootings occurred across the city, injuring multiple people:
* West End Shooting (Around 11 p.m.): A young man was shot in the right leg behind the Stanley Rowe Tower Apartments on Poplar Street. He sought aid by running to a nearby fire station and was then transported to a hospital. He is expected to survive.
* Over-the-Rhine Shooting: In a separate incident near crowded restaurants, a teenage boy (estimated to be 16 or 17) was grazed in the leg, and an adult man was shot in the thigh. Both victims were hospitalized and are also expected to survive.
* Overnight Victim: An additional shooting victim arrived at Mercy Health on Queen City Avenue overnight. The man was able to communicate with officers and is expected to be okay, though police are still working to determine the time and location of that shooting.
Arrests Made in Connection to One Incident
Police have taken two people of interest into custody related to one of the shootings. One person was apprehended after fleeing from police, and the other was located in the Over-the-Rhine area. As of now, no formal charges have been announced.
Eyewitness Accounts of Panic
Witnesses described a chaotic scene when a shooting erupted near crowded restaurants. Grace Fan, a visitor to Cincinnati, recounted the sudden terror: “All of a sudden we just heard ‘pop pop pop’… three gunshots… everyone just kind of looked at each other, the whole room went silent and then someone was like ‘duck,’ like ‘duck underneath.'”
Fatal Shooting in Westwood
The violence began earlier with a separate, fatal incident in the Westwood neighborhood around 6:30 p.m. on Westknolls Lane near Orland Avenue.
* Victim and Suspect: The shooting left one man dead. Police have not yet released the victim’s name or age. Authorities are currently searching for a blue Tesla that may be connected to the incident.
Mayor Condemns Violence and Calls for Change
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval released a strong statement condemning the recent violence, calling it “intolerable.” He outlined specific steps the city plans to take in response:
* Transit Hub Changes: The Mayor emphasized the need to “collectively consider significant change to the transit hub and how we police the area.”
* Government Square and Curfew: He also mentioned working with SORTA to push for changes to Government Square and creating and enforcing an earlier curfew specifically for the Fountain Square district.