CINCINNATI — Six people are recovering after two separate shootings in Cincinnati, police said.
Both shootings happened just before midnight.
Investigators said three people were shot in what appears to be a drive-by shooting on Harrison Avenue in Westwood. CPD said one of the men shot is 21 but the other two victims could be younger than 18. According to investigators, all three were shot while standing in the hallway of an apartment complex. Officers said the shooter was likely somewhere in the parking lot.
“It’s disappointing that you have to be nervous for the kids," said Community Activist Te'Airea Powell.
Cincinnati police said multiple rounds were fired into the common area of the apartment building. One bullet went into a unit on the first floor and almost struck a resident, investigators said.
There was a separate shooting on Westwood Avenue in South Fairmount. CPD said two men and one woman were shot. Their injuries are expected to be non life-threatening. Investigators have not provided many details about this shooting.
CPD did not provide any suspect information. Both shooting scenes are within a four minute drive from each other.
Powell said building trust with the community is key to decreasing the number of shootings in the city.
“When we have people who know what we do whether, there’s a lot of people who see us whether it’s in the community or even through the media people will call us and say this is what’s going on, this is what’s about to happen, or this person is talking about this, and we’re able to have these conversations and a lot of times most people can be talked down," Powell said.
Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney said $1.6 million of the city's approved budget will go to 24 gun violence prevention programs. Sixteen of them are new, which Powell is happy to see.
“I’m hoping to see the city become a little more innovative in how they approach this. We can’t approach the shootings today like we approached the shootings 20 years ago," Powell said.
Kearney noted they're working on getting Advance Peace, a California gun violence prevention program, to Cincinnati. Kearney said the program has been successful in other cities and can work in Cincinnati.
“Our request for proposal money if awarded to the Community Peace Builders Network for Advance Peace," Kearney said. "So, the RFP money is coming in September. If it goes to Advance Peace which is my hope then Advance Peace will start in September as well, but the components of it that are being put in place now."
The Community Peace Builders' Network is hosing free de-escalation training between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. To register for the training, people can text or call 513-601-9685.
Investigators have not said if both shootings are connected.
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