CINCINNATI — All nine victims are out of the hospital after a shooting in Over-The-Rhine overnight.
Cincinnati police said eight males and one female ranging in age between 23 and 47 were either taken to the hospital by EMS or self-transported after shots were fired near the intersection of Main and Woodward streets at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
Eugene Fairbanks was nearby when the shooting happened, saying the night went from fun to chaotic when a fight broke out.
"Everybody was here having a nice time, you know, laughing, talking, then all of a sudden two young ladies get into a fight and that's how everything jumped off," Fairbanks said. "It was one shot like five times and then after that, it was like six more shots."
Surveillance footage from The Hub shows people taking cover and running to safety when they heard the gunfire. Owner Lindsey Swadner said violent crimes are becoming nothing new to the area.
"I can name three I've seen in the last month," Swadner said. "I had a gun pulled out on me a couple of weeks ago."
Police said officers originally responded to the area to disperse a large, disorderly crowd. While breaking it up, two groups got into a fight. CPD said at least two people involved pulled out guns and exchanged shots. At least 15 rounds were fired.
Lifejourney Kountiuez said she was grazed by a bullet during the shooting.
"Someone just began shooting into the crowd," Kountiuez said. "People began to hit the ground, I was grazed in my leg. My friend was running beside me — she was struck and hit."
Fairbanks and his friend hit the ground, but others near him were hit by bullets.
"After (the) last shots ... I got up and seen my peoples laying on the ground," Fairbanks said. "I ran up to one of my friends, he was shot in the leg. It was crazy."
CPD said an officer assigned to the Civil Disturbance Response Team, Joe Shook, discharged one round at an individual he saw shooting at the intersection. The person fled east toward Sycamore Street. Officers also deployed two "bang balls" — percussion instruments used by police — to disperse the crowd and attend to the injured.
Mayor Aftab Pureval called the shooting "completely and totally unacceptable" during a Sunday afternoon press conference. He said this shooting and those in recent months and years are not like the shootings of years past that were "concentrated around the drug trade." Instead, Pureval said the city needs the community's support and help in resolving differences without gunfire.
Pureval mentioned conflict resolution and mental health training as a focus of city resources. Swadner said mental health should be at the forefront of the conversation.
"If people are going to have to experience this, we got to go all the way," she said. "We've got to give them the mental health treatment that they need because this is just going to compound. People are going to mentally be unwell because of this,"
Kountiuez said she is traumatized by the shooting.
"It was painful to watch my community fall with such a tragedy, with such violence against our people," Kountiuez said.
Cincinnati councilman Scotty Johnson said the violence caused by only a few makes it bad for everyone in the neighborhood.
"The people that live in OTR, the people that live around Main Street, the owners of the business around there do not deserve this," Johnson said. "They don't deserve this."
Fairbanks echoed Johnson's sentiments, calling the shooting "nonsense."
"This block right here, we're like a village around here," he said. "This nonsense shooting don't need to be down here, not on Main Street. Main Street is nothing but fun, partying."
While many aren't going anywhere, others said they'll be keeping their distance from the area.
"There's just too much down here now," resident Derrick Davis said. "That's why I don't work down here in this area anymore. I used to work here and did 6 years of work here doing security, but it's been getting crazier and crazier each year."
Police are still looking for at least two shooters. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has additional information is asked to call the CPD Criminal Investigations Section at 513-352-3542.
The ATF is offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest and conviction of the suspects involved. No suspect descriptions have been released.
Anyone with information should call the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477). Telephone tips can also be made to 513-413-4625 or to Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040. Individuals may also email ATFTips@atf.gov, or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips.
READ MORE
CPD: At least 2 shooters in OTR mass shooting, 9 injured
OTR shooting Cincinnati: Video shows chaotic moments as gunfire erupts
