Multiple people have been shot near an annual historic festival in Ohio sparking a huge emergency response and sending people running for their lives.
Police from Toledo and Lucas County, along with multiple medical units, responded to the Old West End Festival just after 5.30pm Saturday following reports of a person shot near Delaware Avenue and Glenwood Avenue, according to authorities.
Officers discovered multiple shooting victims upon arrival, many of whom have since been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Witness Kevin Berry told the Daily Mail he personally observed at least five or six victims being struck by gunfire, including one graze wound and another shot to the head.
‘Everybody hit the deck,’ he said.
He described seeing an elderly woman fall to the ground, who he believed appeared to be experiencing heart attack symptoms during the commotion.
Berry, a Navy veteran with medical training, said he heard up to eight gunshots and saw a gun drop, but did not see the shooter, who he believed fled on foot.
‘The Toledo Police Department is actively searching for the suspect or suspects involved,’ authorities said in a news release.
A shooting near Old West End Festival in Ohio sparked a massive emergency response on Saturday
Witness Kevin Berry told the Daily Mail he personally observed at least five or six victims being struck by gunfire
A witness on Facebook wrote: ‘People were bleeding. EMTs were called’
Berry said the shooting appeared to come out of nowhere, with the first gunshots heard while the band was still playing. He also shared that it appeared to be entirely random, with no clear target or intent.
He said he ran around attempting to flag down officers for those who had been struck by gunfire, adding that police reached the scene ‘quickly.’
Videos shared on social media showed chaos as people ran from the scene, with injured victims seen walking in bloodied clothes and others taken away on stretchers.
Tony Toledo, a Defiance, Ohio resident, shared a chilling Facebook post saying he attended the Old West End Festival to relive his college days when shots were fired just 30 feet away from him.
‘I was eating ribs. Dropped the ribs. Every person at the park stopped to the ground. I am ok,’ Toledo wrote.
‘Unknown to me the shooter ran past me ten feet way. He dropped his gun on ground ten feet from me,’ he added. ‘Another attendee was standing over the gun screaming for the police to get it. Cops got it immediately.’
‘People were bleeding. EMTs were called,’ Toledo wrote, adding that he learned two people had died, though that detail has not yet been confirmed by police.
‘There was a cop waving an automatic rifle screaming for us to leave the park,’ he said. ‘He didn’t need to tell me twice.’
Witness Berry said he heard up to eight gunshots and saw a gun drop, but did not see the shooter, who he believed fled on foot
Witness Berry said the shooting appeared to come out of nowhere, with the first gunshots heard while the band was still playing
The multi-agency response includes Toledo police, Lucas County Sheriff’s deputies, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Toledo Fire and Rescue
Videos shared on social media showed chaos as people ran from the scene, with injured victims seen walking in bloodied clothes and others taken away on stretchers
WDIV reporter Kyla Russell reported that 12 people had been injured and two of them were critical. She said the oldest victim is 61 and youngest is 14.
‘It came after two people began shooting at each other. Police are looking for both and ask for any info from the community,’ Russell wrote on X.
However, the severity of any injuries, as well as the ages and identities of the victims, remain unknown.
Police have since closed Detroit Avenue near West Delaware Avenue.
The multi-agency response includes Toledo police, Lucas County Sheriff’s deputies, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Toledo Fire and Rescue.
‘The investigation currently includes scenes in the area of Delaware Avenue and Robinwood Avenue,’ Toledo Police Department said.
‘Residents and visitors are asked to avoid the area and expect a significant police presence as officers continue their search and investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,’ they added.
In a statement to Facebook, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine wrote: ‘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,’ he added.
Witness Berry said police responded ‘quickly’ to the scene
In a news release, authorities said: ‘The Toledo Police Department is actively searching for the suspect or suspects involved’
Police from Toledo and Lucas County, along with multiple medical units, responded to the Old West End Festival just after 5.30pm Saturday. A file photo of the festival
DeWine concluded his statement by saying he was ‘praying for everyone impacted by the incident at the Old West Festival’ and is ‘confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime.’
The incident comes as Toledo hosts its 53rd West End Festival, described as the ‘biggest party of the year’ celebrating ‘one of the largest historic districts in the country.’
Live music, dozens of food vendors, a beer garden, house tours and shopping kicked off with the King Wamba Carnival Parade on Saturday morning, opening the two-day event.
The Toledo Police Department did not immediately respond for comment.
Anyone with information can text or call Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. You can remain anonymous.
This is a breaking news story…
