After two highway shootings in about a week, Cincinnati police have confirmed a third highway shooting in our area last week.A witness who talked with us said it all happened incredibly close to him on southbound I-75.Investigators said the shooting happened last Monday.They said witnesses called 911 and a victim showed up to the hospital."I hear seven or eight more pops, look in my rearview mirror and see two cars pretty much shooting at each other," a witness said.He said he found himself caught in the middle of a shootout on I-75 on Nov. 29.He doesn't want to be identified."With the crime that's going on right now. I don't feel safe," he said.He told us while he drove southbound at about 5 p.m., two cars pulled up next to a car in the middle lane and started firing.This was about two exits north of Ezzard Charles Drive, according to the witness."I didn't know if I was going to get hit by a stray bullet or a ricochet or something like that," he said.Cincinnati police said the victim was shot in the hand and pulled off at 7th Street.It's another example of highway violence.The organization, Everytown for Gun Safety, said nationally, there have been more than 800 road rage incidents involving a gun this year.It says that is up from 701 in 2020.Another shooting on I-75 in Lockland was caught on camera on Nov. 30."I need help right now. I need help," the victim said in a 911 call. He said he did not know who shot him.Cincinnati police are piecing together a shooting on northbound I-71 at Fort Washington Way from Tuesday evening.Investigators said a 42-year-old man was hit in the stomach, drove himself to Christ Hospital and was transferred to UC Medical Center.They initially said he was in critical condition, but updated his status to stable, as of Wednesday.The victim's fiancee talked with us on Tuesday night, sharing his call for help."Just that he was shot and I told him to go to UC," Billie Ray said.Now, witnesses are unnerved knowing that gunfire could come from just one lane over at any moment."I'm a little bit more on edge when I drive around that area and unfortunately, that's probably how it's going to be from now on," the witness said.Cincinnati police said they are talking with witnesses and hope to speak with the victim in the Fort Washington Way shooting soon.They have not released any information about what led up to that shooting, but said it appears the victim was targeted.Police have not elaborated on how they've come to that conclusion and a spokeswoman has since backed away from calling the incident road rage at this point.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Rachel Levine as assistant secretary of health at the Department of Health and Human Services, the first out transgender federal official to be confirmed by the chamber.The vote was 52-48.Levine, a pediatrician, previously served as Pennsylvania's secretary of health and as physician general — the state's top health official and top doctor."The confirmation of Rachel Levine represents another important milestone for the American LGBTQ community," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. "As transgender Americans suffer higher rates of abuse, homelessness and depression than almost every other group, it's important to have national figures like Dr. Levine who by virtue of being in the public spotlight will help break down barriers of ignorance and fear."File video: Former Pa. secretary of health testifies at Senate confirmation hearingAfter her nomination, Levine said she was proud of the work she's done to address the COVID-19 pandemic and opioid epidemic, fight diseases like HIV, prevent diseases through childhood immunization and raise awareness of LGBTQ issues. She graduated from Harvard College and the Tulane University School of Medicine, and completed her training in pediatrics and adolescent medicine at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City.Levine's gender identity came up during her nomination hearing when Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul began his questioning by saying, "Genital mutilation has been nearly universally condemned." He then went on to ask, "Dr. Levine, do you believe that minors are capable of making such a life changing decision as changing one's sex?" The question drew criticism from Democrats, who said the Republican senator had misrepresented gender confirmation surgery as genital mutilation."Transgender medicine is a very complex and nuanced field with robust research and standards of care that have been developed," Levine responded to the senator's question. "If I am fortunate enough to be confirmed as the assistant secretary of health, I will look forward to working with you and your office and coming to your office and discussing the particulars of the standards of care for transgender medicine."Most medical professionals disagree with Paul's comparison, including Dr. Jason Rafferty, who authored the American Association of Pediatricians' policy statement on transgender and gender diverse youth health care. The World Health Organization, which the Kentucky senator cited, also distinguishes between the two practices, outlining best practices for the gender-affirming health care in 2017 while opposing all forms of female genital mutilation.