TOLEDO, Ohio — Multiple people were shot Saturday near a community festival in Toledo, Ohio, and police said a search for suspects was ongoing following an outbreak of gunfire that sent people scrambling for cover.
The Toledo Police Department said the shooting happened near the Old West End Festival, an annual gathering of live music and home tours in a historic district of the city. Officers on the scene found multiple people shot and “many victims” were taken to hospitals, the department said in a statement.
Authorities did not immediately detail the extent of the injuries. The department said an active search was underway for those responsible.
City Council member Theresa Morris said there were at least eight victims.
“This tragedy is really weighing heavily on both the residents and those who visit and enjoy this festival year after year,” she said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement: “I am deeply concerned about the situation in Toledo tonight. Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence.”
Videos posted to social media showed people running over the sound of gunshots and emergency officials tending to others who appeared wounded.
Kevin Berry said he was sitting in the neighborhood arboretum listening to live music with his friends when he heard gunshots. “Everybody hit the deck,” he said.
When he looked back up, he saw a gun being tossed to the ground less than 50 feet way from him.
Police officers who were onsite for the festival immediately responded.
Berry, who has medical training and served in the Navy, said he walked around the area looking for victims who might need help. He said he saw at least five people with gunshot wounds.
“The folks who were hit were spread out around the arboretum area,” he said.
The Old West End Festival is a two-day celebration in Toledo’s historic district that includes live music, food vendors, home tours and shopping.
Berry described it as the “kickoff to Toledo’s summer festival season.”
Ding and Peipert write for the Associated Press.
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