As of Thursday evening, this article is no longer being updated. For continuing coverage on gun violence, check out Vox’s gun violence section.
Downtown Cincinnati shooting: what we know
Multiple people were shot and killed, according to city officials.
There was a mass shooting in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday. Four, including the shooter, were killed, and two others were injured, according to city officials.
The shooting occurred at the Fifth Third Bank building near Fountain Square, which is at the core of downtown. Police quickly responded to the shooting and killed the gunman. They’re now investigating for a potential motive.
The story is still developing. Here’s what we know, and don’t, so far.
What we know
- At about 9:10 am local time, police received calls of shots fired at the Fifth Third Center in downtown Cincinnati, Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said at a press conference. Police engaged and killed the shooter within minutes.
- The shooter killed three people, Isaac said. Two others were injured.
- The killed victims were Pruthvi Raj Kandepi, 25; Luis Felipe Calderón, 48; and Richard Newcomer, 64, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. Whitney Austin, 37, was one of the injured.
- No police officers were injured in the shooting, according to Isaac.
- The shooter was Omar Enrique Santa Perez, a 29-year-old who lived in the Cincinnati area, according to investigators. He’s believed to have acted alone.
- The gunman had a significant amount of ammunition on him. The gun he used was legally purchased, based on the information police have so far, Isaac said.
- There is no longer a threat in downtown Cincinnati, city officials said. “Downtown is safe,” Mayor John Cranley emphasized at a press conference, pointing to the city’s historically low crime rates.
- The Fountain Square area, where the shooting took place, is a very busy part of downtown Cincinnati, often used for major events and celebrations. The surrounding area is also a big hub for entertainment, food, and jobs in the city.
- Local hospitals have asked people to donate blood to help with the response and aftermath.
- Mayor Cranley called on the country to do something about the shootings, noting that no other developed country deals with the levels of gun violence that the US does.
- “There was a senseless act of gun violence on the streets of Cincinnati this morning. I’ve spoken with the Mayor and informed him the state will provide any necessary resources to the local police,” Ohio Gov. John Kasich tweeted. “I commend the law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel who swiftly responded to the scene and share my deepest sympathies with the innocent victims of this violent attack.”
What we don’t know
- The shooter’s motive
- All the victims’ identities
