CINCINNATI — Police on Monday released video of a violent attack in downtown Cincinnati that occurred one day after a group jumped a man one block away. This time, Lt. Jonathan Cunningham said a 15-year-old was injured.
Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober said in a statement police suspect the same group of teens are responsible for both attacks.
In a Facebook post, Chief Teresa A. Theetge said in part, "In the last week, violent crime incidents have occurred among juveniles here in Cincinnati. This video should be disturbing to us all. There is no reasonable explanation for anyone to inflict harm upon another in our communities.”
On Jan. 23, a man was attacked and robbed on 6th Street. Eight people were involved, including teens. Police arrested two people in connection to the attack.
“Right now, it seems like our kids are having a lifestyle of violence,” said Rodney Christian, president of the East Westwood Community Council.
Christian runs an after-school program at a local church. It’s a place where kids can have fun and learn life lessons. His newest initiative is aimed at curbing violence.
“Peace of Hope Lifestyle is an initiative that me and Te’Airea Powell,” Christian said. “It’s a variety of programs that we want our kids to be a part of, so we can teach them to change their lives.”
CONTENT WARNING: A teenager gets jumped downtown by multiple people. It's hard to watch. @CincyPD released this video on Facebook showing the violent attack. Last week, @VLyonsTV showed you video of 8 people, including teens, jumping and robbing a man downtown. @WCPO pic.twitter.com/CLR5Cqz19o
— Jessica Hart WCPO (@JessicaHartTV) January 30, 2024
He said the problems start at home.
“There’s probably so many challenges that they’re going through, hunger, you know wanting to get fed. This is how I can survive if I go rob this person or take something from somebody,” he said.
Christian said he feels like conversations about violence are too frequent. And he said kids and teens have easy access to watch violence online or see it in a video game.
He hopes this new program will create a lifestyle of peace of hope, where violence is absent. He’s looking for more people to help with the program.
Dorron Hunter, founder and CEO of Future Ambassadors, is also working to help kids and teenagers.
“We gotta get them to understand that there’s a better way of solving problems other than fighting, and shooting, and killing,” Hunter said. “I think we need to have more programs that we push them to, and not away.”
Hunter said a root cause for some of the teen violence is not having necessities met at home, like not having enough food.
He said parents also need to take a more active role in what they allow their children to do.
“You know, sometimes we have to say no. There’s things as a parent that you have to say no to and sometimes kids think we’re trying to stop them from having fun,” Hunter said.
Theetge said something similar in a Facebook post.
“Parents and guardians, please have conversations with your teenagers as these incidents arise, making it clear that this behavior is vicious and harmful to our communities,” Theetge said.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval released a statement, saying that 10 additional police officers will be patrolling downtown during peak after-school hours as a response to the uptick in violence. The mayor also said that solving these "chilling" and "tragic" violence issues goes beyond just the police.
"Police alone will not solve this problem," Pureval said in a statement. "We need all partners — from our schools, to our courts, to community advocates. This is going to require a hard look at our systems and a multi-jurisdictional approach, and we’re committed to working with anyone who’s at the table.”
Hunter said he works to show teenagers what’s possible.
“What we’re trying to do is take them out of this environment and let them see there’s other ways like taking them on college tours, allowing them to see people at college that look like them,” Hunter said.
Officials are asking for the public's help in identifying any of the suspects involved in the attack.
Editor's Note: WCPO erroneously reported the attack on E. 5th Street as taking place days before a man was attacked on E. 6th Street. This story has been corrected to state the attack occurred one day later, on Jan. 24.
