Ohio festival shooting
At least 12 people shot, two critically, at Toledo festival; police search for suspects
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At least 12 people were shot near the Old West End Festival in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday evening, with two victims in critical condition. The shooting erupted around 5:30 PM near the intersection of Delaware and Robinwood Avenues, according to AP, striking victims ranging in age from 14 to 61 — most in their early 20s.
No suspects have been arrested. Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joe Heffernan said it appeared "at least two shooters" were firing at each other in a crowd. The 53rd annual festival — a beloved two-day celebration of the city's Victorian historic district — was cancelled Sunday morning.
Gunfire Erupted Mid-Festival Near a Packed Arboretum
The shots rang out near the Agnes Reynolds Jackson Arboretum, a central hub for festival music and food, CBS News reported. Eyewitness Tito Aguilar said he recorded cellphone video of "juveniles" fighting just before the shots started. Within minutes, 12 people had been hit.
U.S. Navy veteran Kevin Berry was at the arboretum when the shooting began. He immediately helped treat at least five victims — and watched someone toss a gun to the ground less than 50 feet away, according to AP. Toledo Fire units already on the scene moved all 12 victims to hospitals within 60 minutes, despite heavy traffic from road closures.
Police Say Two Shooters Targeted Each Other, Not the Crowd
Deputy Chief Heffernan told reporters the attack did not appear to be random. "It appears as though there were at least two shooters — I think they were probably shooting at each other," he said, according to AP. He called it "a shame" that "a few people" disrupted "something that has been a beloved community event for many, many years."
Toledo Police Lieutenant Dan Gerken said the scale shocked even veteran officers. "Twelve people being shot — that's the most I've been to a scene," he said, according to WTOL 11. "This is way over the top." By Sunday morning, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said all 12 victims were expected to survive.
Toledo's Safety Push Had Just Launched Weeks Before the Shooting
The timing is painful for city leaders. On May 20, just weeks before the festival, Mayor Kapszukiewicz launched a "Summer Safety Strategy" involving police, youth groups, and community violence interveners, according to WTOL 11. Saturday's shooting is a direct blow to that initiative.
Toledo's 2026 budget had already cut the police recruit class from 25 to 20 officers. The city also eliminated funding for ShotSpotter — a gunshot-detection system — to manage costs, the Toledo Blade reported. Toledo's homicide rate was roughly 14 per 100,000 people in 2025, compared to a 10.4 average across 35 other major U.S. cities.
Governor Calls for Safe Festivals as Community Mourns
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a statement Saturday night. "Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence," he said. "Fran and I are praying for everyone impacted." U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur also expressed pain for the "storied Old West End community," according to Fox 4.
Festival organizers cancelled all Sunday events, saying it would not be "compassionate, responsible or possible to continue." The cancellation hit hundreds of local vendors and artists who depend on the annual event. Volunteers who run the Old West End Association now face growing questions about the future cost of securing the festival in 2027, WTOL 11 reported.
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