Shooting near Toledo's Old West End Festival injures at least 12
A gunfire incident near the Old West End Festival in Toledo, Ohio, left at least 12 people wounded, including two in critical condition, as police search for multiple shooters.
Police said a shooting near Toledo's Old West End Festival injured at least 12 people, with two victims in critical condition. Deputy Police Chief Joe Heffernan indicated that at least two shooters were likely firing at each other. The incident prompted an immediate response from officers already on site and a citywide search for the suspects.
"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," Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said in a statement.
Social‑media videos showed crowds fleeing the sound of gunfire and emergency personnel attending to the injured. One attendee, Kevin Berry, described hearing multiple shots while listening to live music in a neighborhood arboretum and seeing a firearm discarded nearby. Berry, a former Navy servicemember with medical training, said he helped locate at least five wounded individuals scattered around the area.
The Old West End Festival, a two‑day event featuring live music, food vendors, home tours and shopping, is considered the kickoff to Toledo's summer festival season.