By: Molly Schramm
CINCINNATI — Four people, including two teens and a 10-year-old, were shot in by drive-by shooter near Grant Park in Over-the-Rhine Wednesday afternoon, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge said.
A 10-year-old, 14-year-old and 15-year-old were all transported to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. A man in his 20s was also shot and transported to UC Medical Center.
Theetge said she doesn’t have an update on their conditions, but all injuries were non-life-threatening.
She said there was more than one shooter in what appears to be a black four-door Hyundai with dark-tinted windows.
“These were children walking down the street,” Theetge said. “That is unnacceptable for somebody to think they can drive down the street, fire this many rounds and just keep driving, and think they’re going to get away with it.”
Theetge couldn’t say for sure if someone was targeted, but the juveniles were not with the adult, according to nearby surveillance video she viewed.
Police had multiple blocks of McMicken Avenue between Walnut Street and Vine Street shut down for hours. Theetge said at least 59 evidence markers were placed at various locations in the blocked off area. She said most of those markers were shell casings from bullets.
“This will not be tolerated,” Theetge said. “Not in Cincinnati.”
Mayor Aftab Pureval also issued a statement saying “senseless acts of violence will not be tolerated in Cincinnati.”
“Our children and our families deserve to spend their days in our community — our pools, our recreation centers, our parks — without any fear,” Pureval’s statement continues. “My heart is with the families of the victims and our first responders. And our full support is behind Chief Theetge and our entire CPD team as they deliver justice.”
Gun violence reduction groups immediately descended on the scene demanding an end to the violence.
Stefan Pryor, a community activist, told WCPO he was nearby when he heard multiple gunshots, and he started recording a video. He said he saw at least four ambulances arrive to the scene.
People that live in the area told WCPO they are nervous and scared as the shooters remain on the loose. They also said they are angry as gun violence has once again touched young lives in OTR.
Alex Trejo, a painter working on a nearby railing, said he heard the shots and didn’t know what to do.
“We heard at least 20, 20 gunshots come off,” he said.
He initially thought the pops were fireworks, but knew otherwise when he looked over at kids playing nearby.
“There was some kids actually playing in the playground,” Trejo said. “It was like six of them, and they all heard it and they knew what was going on. They knew. They started running.”
Aniya H., a resident who’s lived nearby for a year and is considering moving, said she has a 4-year-old that could have easily been one of the victims in the shooting.
“I mean, it’s just, it’s kind of traumatizing,” Aniya H. said. “I don’t want to be in an area like this, but it’s going on everywhere, so you can’t even just say this area because shooting violence is everywhere.”
There have been multiple shootings in that stretch of northern OTR in the last few months, according to CincyInsights.
On May 25, a 29-year-old man was found dead on the corner of East Elder and Hamer Streets. On April 28, a 25-year-old was shot to death at the intersection of Main Street and McMicken Avenue. There was also two non-fatal shootings in that area.
The OTR neighborhood is currently topping the list for shootings in Cincinnati so far in 2023.
Data shows that at this time last year, there were 10 shootings reported by the community council. 2023 has surpassed that, with 12 as of May 25.
This is a developing story and WCPO will update when more information is available.
Reposted with permission from WCPO 9 Cincinnati.