COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Two people were taken to the hospital after shots were fired between police and a suspect at the Kroger in Colerain Township Wednesday afternoon, Colerain Township Police Chief Ed Cordie said.
Cordie said officers were involved in an investigation at the Kroger Marketplace at 3636 Springdale Road just befire 4 p.m. As an officer approached one suspect outside the store, Cordie said the suspect pointed a gun at police.
Police said "a gunfight ensued" and the suspect retreated inside the Kroger store.
From there, police said officers "engaged the suspect" and the suspect was hit by gunfire; an innocent bystander was also hit. Police did not say whether an officer's bullet or the suspect's bullet hit the bystander.
Cordie said both the suspect and bystander were taken to UC Medical Center. Both are expected to survive.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigates their involvement in the shooting.
Colerain Township spokesperson Jim Love originally told us that the two people shot were "suspects," but Cordie later clarified the one suspect and bystander were those hurt.
Latashia Sawyer was inside the store with her daughter, waiting in line at the pharmacy. She told us they heard shots fired before an employee told them to "run for your life."
"People just started scattering and going about everywhere," she said. "Then we heard more gunshots — I counted at least 20 ... I'm scared. I'm frantic. I don't know whether to run or to duck and hide."
Kroger employee Micah Lewis said she saw a man pointing a gun before she started to run. She said she heard over her walkie-talkie that a "man (was) down" and she immediately tried to run out of the building and contact her family.
People inside nearby businesses said they heard the shots fired and locked down their buildings.
In a statement, Kroger said it was saddened by the incident and would be cooperating with local law enforcement.
Customer service told us Thursday morning that the store was closed as they were working on "cleaning issues." The store opened up to the public at 3 p.m.
A previous version of this story erroneously reported that the officers involved were suspended.
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