Over the weekend, two teenagers were fatally shot at Smale Park and three others were injured.
This is the first fatal shooting at The Banks since at least 2009 and since Smale Park was officially opened in 2012, according to data from Cincinnati police.
Here's what we know Tuesday.
What happened?
Just a little before 11 p.m. on the Fourth of July, five people were shot at Smale Park.
Police said that the scene was along Mehring Way at The Banks. Officers had arrived to begin clearing the park when they heard gunshots, according to police.
Colonel Lisa Davis said that 400-500 teenagers were at Smale Park at the time of the incident. The park was busy the entire day, she said.
More:2 teens killed at Smale Park shooting. One was Princeton City Schools student
Who are the victims?
Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac identified the dead victims as Milo Watson, 16, and Dexter Wright, Jr., 19, who were both killed after exchanging gunfire. Wright and Watson were involved in an ongoing disagreement that spilled over into gunfire, police said.
Princeton City Schools Superintendent Tim Burton confirmed that Watson was an 11th-grade student in a written statement.
One of the shooting victims died at the scene and a second died at the University of Cincinnati Hospital Medical Center.
Three other teens were caught in the crossfire. They have not been identified.
Those victims are a 17-year-old girl who is in critical condition after being shot in the back; a 15-year-old boy who was shot in the arm; and a 16-year-old girl who also suffered gunshot wounds to her arm.
Are there more suspects?
Police continue to investigate and said others may be involved but they are not actively seeking any other individuals.
Have there been issues at The Banks in the past?
City councilman Christopher Smitherman, who is vice mayor and chair of City Council's law and public safety committee, said crowds of young people have become a regular occurrence at night at the riverfront park
This is the first fatal shooting at The Banks since at least 2009.
Shootings were rare in the area until last year. Between the beginning of 2009 to the end of 2019, there were three people shot at The Banks. Since the beginning of 2020, there have been 11 people shot in the area, which became a more popular destination during the pandemic.
This is the fifth mass shooting in Greater Cincinnati this year.
Nearly 110 people have been injured in mass shootings in the Cincinnati region in the last six years.
More:Police release IDs of two dead. Three others injured after shooting at Smale Park near The Banks
What local officials are saying
Isaac called upon ministers, teachers and mentors to be out with juveniles when there are activities and events.
"We want responsible adults to be there to supervise," Isaac said. "We don’t believe that uniformed police officers are necessarily the sole answer to monitor the activity of teens on a holiday weekend."
Mayor John Cranley said the community will need to engage in order to slow the violence.
"I have asked the city manager and chief to convene the Manager's Advisory Group to examine causes, evaluate resources and ultimately create a plan to address youth violence in our City," Cranley said in a statement These kids are turning to violence to solve their problems, to retaliate when they feel they have been wronged. This is rooted in problems faced by youth long before they engage in such acts. We need help from the community."
Reporters Briana Rice, Quinlan Bentley and Chris Mayhew contributed.
Source link
