CINCINNATI — The West End Community Council passed a resolution calling on city, state and federal officials to increase the award for information leading to an arrest in the mass shooting that killed 11-year-old Domonic Davis and injured four kids and a woman in November.
Council Vice President Noah O'Brien said on Monday a wall of silence has helped criminals avoid consequences for Davis's shooting and others, including one shooting just blocks away on York Street that killed 61-year-old Angela McNeil and injured another man.
"You have no obligation to protect a man that's shooting into a crowd of kids," O'Brien said. "It's that simple."
O'Brien said he understands the pressures associated with talking with investigators.
"Nobody wants to be labeled a rat. Nobody wants to cooperate," he said. "There is a stigma that comes attached with helping police solve some of these crimes."
Most importantly, he said, many are understandably terrified of retribution for speaking with officials about those who are committing crimes.
O'Brien said reward money, beyond the $5,000 ATF offer matched by Davis's family, would go a long way in breaking the veil of silence that protects shooters.
"For a man that's shot and murdered an 11-year-old, shot a 12-year-old, shot a 13-year-old, shot two 15-year-olds and shot a grandmother, as a society the best we can do is $10,000? We need our public officials to step up," he said.
Cincinnati police didn't provide an update on either case Monday but urged anyone with information to call CPD or call Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
