A shooting incident Saturday evening left several people wounded near a community celebration in Toledo, Ohio, with law enforcement actively searching for those responsible while injured victims received hospital care, according to authorities.
Officers with the Toledo police department arrived at the scene around 5:30 p.m. after receiving reports of gunfire near the Old West End Festival, where they discovered several people had been shot, according to an official department statement.
While authorities confirmed that “many victims” were rushed to area medical centers, they declined to release specific information about the number of people wounded or the severity of their injuries. Officials also have not disclosed any potential motive behind the violence.
Kevin Berry, who was enjoying live music with companions in the neighborhood arboretum when the incident occurred, described hearing several gunshots.
“Everybody hit the deck,” he said.
After the initial shots, Berry witnessed someone throwing a firearm to the ground approximately 50 feet away from his location. Festival security officers who were already present quickly moved to respond to the emergency.
Drawing on his medical background and experience as a U.S. Navy veteran, Berry moved through the area to assist anyone who might need immediate help.
He reported seeing no fewer than five individuals suffering from bullet wounds.
“The folks who were hit were spread out around the arboretum area,” he said.
Mercy Health, which runs multiple medical facilities in the Toledo region, directed all press questions to law enforcement officials.
The Old West End Festival represents a weekend-long community event in Toledo’s historic neighborhood featuring live entertainment, food stands, house tours and retail opportunities. Berry characterized the celebration as the “kick-off to Toledo’s summer festival season.”
