Toledo (US): At least 12 people were injured, two of them critically, after a shootout at a community festival in Toledo, Ohio, in the US, on Saturday.
The injured were rushed to hospital and a search has been launched for the shooter/s. Residents and visitors have been asked to avoid the area.
it responded to a report of a shooting near the Old West End Festival at about 5.30 pm, where it found “multiple shooting victims”, the Toledo police department said.
“Many victims” were taken for medical treatment. The details on the suspect(s) or identities of the victims are yet to be known, the police said, as reported by Hindustan Times.
It has been reported that authorities were searching the area for suspects, interviewing witnesses and examining videos, as at least two persons were believed to have exchanged shots near the festival.
“Twelve people were struck with bullets… two of them critical,” Toledo deputy police chief Joseph Heffernan told reporters, adding that no suspects were caught yet.
There were at least two shooters involved, and that they were “probably shooting at each other”, he said.
Police Lieutenant Dan Gerken said the average age of the victims was roughly in the early 20s. “So, 12 people being shot, that’s the most — I’ve been to a lot of scenes, but this was way over the top,” Gerken said.
Kevin Berry, who was present at the spot, said he was sitting listening to live music with his friends when he heard gunshots. Berry, who has medical training and served in the US Navy, said he began looking for victims who might need help, according to AP. He said he saw at least five people with gunshot wounds.
A police team is working to determine the circumstances of the shootings.
The Old West End Festival is a two-day celebration in Toledo’s historic district. It includes live music, food vendors, home tours and shopping.
