Key takeaways:
- At least 12 people were shot near the Old West End Festival in Toledo, Ohio, just after 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
- Two victims were in critical condition, and the victims ranged in age from 14 to 61, police said.
- Police said at least two shooters were likely involved and were “probably shooting at each other”; the suspects remained at large Saturday night.
Gunfire erupted near a crowded summer festival in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday, wounding at least 12 people and sending festivalgoers running as police searched for the shooters into the night.
The shooting happened just after 5:30 p.m. near the Old West End Festival, an annual community celebration in a historic Toledo district. Toledo Police Deputy Chief Joseph Heffernan said at least two gunmen appeared to be involved and were “probably shooting at each other.”
Two of the victims were in critical condition Saturday night, Heffernan said. Police Lt. Dan Gerken said the victims ranged in age from 14 to 61, with most of them in their early 20s. The suspects remained at large, and police said an active search was underway.
Several hundred people were at the festival when the shooting broke out, officials said. The Old West End Festival is a long-running Toledo tradition featuring live music, food vendors, home tours, shopping, a beer garden and events for children.
Gerken said the investigation was still in its early stages. Authorities were speaking with victims and witnesses and reviewing camera footage from the area.
Heffernan said extra officers had been assigned to the festival and that many off-duty officers were working security for the event. He said “mobile security cameras” were also in use.
“It’s just a shame when a few people, for whatever reasons going through their head, decide to disrupt something that has been a beloved community event for many, many, many years,” Heffernan said.
Multiple videos posted to social media showed people running as gunshots could be heard, with emergency officials tending to people who appeared to be wounded, The Guardian reported.
Kevin Berry told The Guardian he was sitting in the neighborhood arboretum listening to live music with friends when he heard several gunshots.
“Everybody hit the deck,” Berry said.
Berry, who said he has medical training and served in the U.S. Navy, said he saw a gun thrown to the ground after the shooting and watched police officers already on site respond immediately. He said he then walked through the area looking for people who might need help and saw at least five people with gunshot wounds.
“The folks who were hit were spread out around the arboretum area,” he said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he was “deeply concerned” about the shooting.
“Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence,” DeWine said on X. “Fran and I are praying for everyone impacted by the incident at the Old West End Festival, and we are confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime.”
City council member Theresa Morris said the shooting had shaken the community.
“This tragedy is really weighing heavily on both the residents and those who visit and enjoy this festival year after year,” Morris said.
It was not clear Saturday night whether the festival would reopen Sunday.
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