At least eight people were shot Saturday afternoon at a long-running outdoor festival in Toledo, Ohio, police and city officials said. All of the victims were sent to the hospital and are expected to survive.
The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. at the Old West End Festival, an annual neighborhood celebration of the area’s history that has been held for more than 50 years and was scheduled to run Saturday and Sunday. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz told local news outlet WTOL-11 that “many victims” were among those transported, though all were expected to survive.
The Toledo Police Department said it was still searching for one or more suspects as of 8:00 p.m. The investigation, the department said in a Facebook statement, included scenes in the area of Delaware Avenue and Robinwood Avenue.
“Residents and visitors are asked to avoid scenes in the area and expect a significant police presence as officers continue their search and investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the police department said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine responded to the shooting in a statement posted to social media.
“Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence,” DeWine said. “We are confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime.”