Two teenagers are dead, and three bystanders were wounded in a late-night July 4 shooting in Cincinnati’s Smale Riverfront Park. Police said the shooting happened around 10:45 p.m. while hundreds of kids gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July.Milo Watson, 16, and Dexter Wright Jr., 19, were killed after gunfire erupted in the popular riverfront park, near the city’s The Banks entertainment district.According to a statement from Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, both of the individuals killed “may be” shooters at the park. The three wounded were “innocent bystanders (that) were shot because of the egregious actions of a few,” the mayor said.“This is tragic and made even more sad by the fact that the shootings occurred in a group of primarily teenagers,” a statement from the Mayor’s Office reads in part. “The victims remain in my prayers. Our cops have been diligent about patrolling in parks that attract groups of teenagers — and will continue to do so—but this issue is much deeper and cannot alone be solved with crime fighting strategies.”Officers arriving on the scene Sunday night described a chaotic scene, where hundreds gathered for holiday celebrations. Three people were found at the park, suffering from gunshot wounds. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and a second person was pronounced dead at the hospital.Shortly after the shooting, police said two more victims arrived at University of Cincinnati Medical Center by private conveyance.The three surviving victims are not being identified at this time. There has been no word on the extent of their injuries. “At this point, we really need people that were around that saw something that recorded video to provide that information to us. It is a very complicated scene and we feel for those who have lost loved ones tonight the family members who are dealing with that loss,” Cincinnati police Capt. Steve Saunders said.Police say between 400 and 500 children were at the park when shots were fired Sunday night, celebrating the holiday.There are no surveillance cameras in the portion of the park where the shooting occurred, police said. Investigators added that the city is in the process of installing 10 new cameras in the area, including two cameras in the exact area where the shooting happened. Those cameras were supposed to be online Thursday, but have been delayed by weather.Mehring Way and Smale Riverfront Park were shut down for hours while police investigated. Both have since reopened.Cincinnati police are set to give an update later on Monday. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
Two teenagers are dead, and three bystanders were wounded in a late-night July 4 shooting in Cincinnati’s Smale Riverfront Park.
Police said the shooting happened around 10:45 p.m. while hundreds of kids gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Milo Watson, 16, and Dexter Wright Jr., 19, were killed after gunfire erupted in the popular riverfront park, near the city’s The Banks entertainment district.
According to a statement from Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, both of the individuals killed “may be” shooters at the park. The three wounded were “innocent bystanders (that) were shot because of the egregious actions of a few,” the mayor said.
“This is tragic and made even more sad by the fact that the shootings occurred in a group of primarily teenagers,” a statement from the Mayor’s Office reads in part. “The victims remain in my prayers. Our cops have been diligent about patrolling in parks that attract groups of teenagers — and will continue to do so—but this issue is much deeper and cannot alone be solved with crime fighting strategies.”
Officers arriving on the scene Sunday night described a chaotic scene, where hundreds gathered for holiday celebrations.
Three people were found at the park, suffering from gunshot wounds. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and a second person was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Shortly after the shooting, police said two more victims arrived at University of Cincinnati Medical Center by private conveyance.
The three surviving victims are not being identified at this time. There has been no word on the extent of their injuries.
“At this point, we really need people that were around that saw something that recorded video to provide that information to us. It is a very complicated scene and we feel for those who have lost loved ones tonight the family members who are dealing with that loss,” Cincinnati police Capt. Steve Saunders said.
Police say between 400 and 500 children were at the park when shots were fired Sunday night, celebrating the holiday.
There are no surveillance cameras in the portion of the park where the shooting occurred, police said. Investigators added that the city is in the process of installing 10 new cameras in the area, including two cameras in the exact area where the shooting happened. Those cameras were supposed to be online Thursday, but have been delayed by weather.
Mehring Way and Smale Riverfront Park were shut down for hours while police investigated. Both have since reopened.
Cincinnati police are set to give an update later on Monday. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.