NORTH COLLEGE HILL, Ohio — A Woodward student-athlete was injured Friday night in a shooting during the school's football game at North College Hill, Cincinnati Public Schools said.
The football game between North College Hill and Woodward came to a halt with a few minutes left in the first half after shots were fired near the stadium, North College Hill's coach confirmed to WCPO.
A WCPO crew that responded to the scene found police cruisers and crime scene tape cutting off the area near North College Hill Elementary School, which is right next to the stadium.
CPS later confirmed a Woodward student-athlete was injured in the shooting. The district did not say whether the student was a football player or participated in another sport.
"Cincinnati Public Schools recognizes this tragic event and our support remains with the student, their family, friends and school community," CPS said in its statement. "CPS' Crisis Response Team will be on-site to provide support to students as they return to school Tuesday."
This is the second time this month a North College Hill football game has ended abruptly due to a shooting incident in the area.
"Again, we have outside forces that have nothing to do with North College Hill City School District ... creating a horrible situation, so I am saddened," North College Hill Superintendent Eugene Blalock said following Friday's shooting.
This was North College Hill's first game since shots fired in the area ended their game against Cincinnati Country Day on Sept. 6. At the time, police said someone fired 10 shots near an apartment complex across the street from the stadium on Bising Avenue. Play was stopped and the stadium was evacuated as police arrived on scene. No one was injured in that incident.
The following week, North College Hill's next opponent Miami Valley Christian Academy canceled, stating they would not travel to the area for the game. The school also announced its homecoming game against Summit Country Day School has been rescheduled for a different date and time, moving from a Friday night to Saturday morning.
Blalock said Friday's crowd was "huge," with the community coming together to support their student-athletes and "show them that they're worthy, that we believe in them."
"And to have this happen again, second football game ... in a row in the community, we have to do a better job," Blalock said.
He said he believes this is "bigger than athletics."
"Our students were playing their hearts out, they were winning the game, but now who's gonna think about football?" Blalock said. "So now you have kids who are traumatized, and this is ongoing trauma. If I were a parent, to be perfectly honest, I don't know if I would allow my child to come to another game."
The superintendent confirmed Friday's game is the last game that will be played on that field this year: "I will not put somebody else's life in jeopardy and I would hate to have another school feel like they're doing something wrong by trying to keep their kids safe."
