Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and others are condemning violence after 12 people were shot on June 6 during a street festival in Toledo.
According to USA Today, twelve people were struck by bullets, including two who were critically injured, during a shooting near a popular neighborhood festival in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday, June 6.
Police believe the incident occurred when at least two people began shooting at each other at the festival. No fatalities had been reported as of late Saturday, police said, and no suspects were in custody.
Ohio governor, others condem shooting
In a post on X, DeWine said he was “deeply concerned about the situation in Toledo.”
“Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence,” DeWine said on X. “Fran and I are praying for everyone impacted by the incident at the Old West End Festival, and we are confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime.”
U.S. Rep Marcy Kaptur, who represents the Toledo area, said on X that “our community is in pain tonight as a result of senseless gun violence in Toledo’s storied Old West End community.”
U.S. Sen. Jon Husted said on X that he and his wife are praying “for everyone impacted by the senseless violence in Toledo tonight.”
“We are grateful for law enforcement who acted quickly to protect Ohioans and are working to locate the suspects and bring them to justice,” Husted said on X.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton said on X that she was “devastated” by the reports from the shooting.
“Every Ohioan deserves to celebrate and be in community without fear of violence,” Acton said. “We must work together to end the hate, ensure justice for these families, and create stronger, safer communities for all.”
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said on X that “it’s morally unacceptable” that shootings like this happen on a regular basis.
“Ohio needs a leader at the top who’s willing to restore the rule of law & crush crime in our cities – without apology & without hedging,” Ramaswamy said on X.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said on X the city has “faced more adversity over the years than most cities, and our citizens always rally together and pull through.” He noted that many American cities have faced mass gun violence in recent years.
“But we should never shrug our shoulders and accept it as the price of living in a free society,” Kapszukiewicz said. “As a country, we must do better. Toledo is resilient & it will emerge stronger because of the unity we show in this moment”
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Gov. DeWine, other Ohio officials condemn ‘unacceptable’ Toledo mass shooting
Reporting by Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
