Rival groups sparked Toledo mass shooting near Old West End Festival; no arrests made

Nine of the 12 people injured in a mass shooting Saturday near a neighborhood festival in Toledo, Ohio, have been released from hospitals, as the other three continue to recover from their injuries. 

City officials, festival organizers and faith leaders hosted a half-hour press conference Tuesday morning in downtown Toledo to update on the case. This was the first formal press conference on the local level about the incident. 

"This remains a very active investigation," Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle said. 

Saturday's shooting occurred near the Old West End Festival, an annual festival in one of the historic residential areas of Toledo, Ohio. Gunfire rang out about 5:30 p.m. local time in the area of Delaware and Glenwood avenues. There have been no arrests yet in the case. 

Authorities said early in the investigation that they believed two people were involved. Troendle related Tuesday that a dispute between two rival groups appears to have been the spark. He also said two firearms that are believed to have been fired that day have been seized as evidence. 

City officials ask that anyone with information that can assist in the investigation contact the local chapter of Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111.

"Toledo's heart is hurting," Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said. "It will take time to work through what happened."

Praise for bystanders, police response

Immediate assistance from bystanders through first aid and 911 calls, as gunfire rang out, was a key step for preventing further tragedy, local officials said.

"Ordinary people can make the difference between life and death," Toledo Fire and Rescue Chief Allison Armstrong said, thanking everyone who stepped in to assist the injured at the scene.

There were eventually 12 people taken to Toledo-area hospitals, with the victims ranging in ages from 14 to 61. By Tuesday morning, only three remained hospitalized and all three are expected to recover.

"The majority of those injured appear to be innocent bystanders," the police chief said.

There were 17 police officers on the security detail for the festival, and others on patrol in the nearby areas, the police chief said.

In response to the emergency, other agencies called to the area included Toledo City Fire and Rescue, Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lucas County (Ohio) Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

"No agency handles an incident like this alone," the police chief said.

City's next steps and calls to address gun violence

Kapszukiewicz said the city is currently researching and considering options on how to prevent violent behavior, apprehend those involved in such activity and make sure people are held accountable.

But he pointed out that in this case, a late-night curfew for young people would not have had an impact. The shooting happened at 5:30 p.m.

Kapszukiewicz and city council member Nick Komives were among those who spoke about gun violence across the country. The mayor said the shooting that erupted near the Old West End Festival was the 174th mass shooting in the U.S. this year.

"There are a number of conversations that need to happen," the mayor said.

"We have spent years offering thoughts and prayers after mass shootings ... and yet the violence continues," Komives said. "Sympathy is not a solution. Families deserve more than statements after tragedy."

City Council member Vanice Williams also urged community members to participate in a gun buy-back event that a local church is hosting soon.

Finale of the festival remains in limbo

This was the 53rd year for the Old West End Festival. The organizers closed the festival one day early, as it was expected to run through Sunday.

But the mayor said he hopes to see the festival officially host its finale later this year, perhaps in late summer or early September.