Ohio Mass Shooting: 5 Shot, 3 Killed in Corryville

Three people are dead after a shooting in Corryville early Monday, according to the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.

According to Cincinnati Police Capt. Mark Burns, five people were shot in the area of Highland and East University avenues. The coroner’s office confirmed three males were dead. Their names and ages have not been released.

The shooting happened at 2:50 a.m. Officers were patrolling the area when they heard multiple gunshots nearby, Burns said.

Police found four male victims, one of whom was dead, Burns said. He said three others were taken to a nearby hospital, and then another victim was brought to the hospital later. Two of the males died there.

Burns said an officer saw someone running into a home with a firearm. That person eventually came outside voluntarily and was placed in police custody.

“They don’t know if he was the shooter or if he was hiding a weapon − we have no idea,” Burns said.

After sunrise Monday, the area was quiet despite squad cars and detectives working the scene.

Signs of carnage remained. A body was lying under a white sheet in front of Mecklenburg Gardens on University Avenue. An empty wheelchair sat on the sidewalk.

Yellow evidence markers, numbered up to at least 97, were scattered around the massive crime scene spanning three intersections: University and Highland, University and Burnet, Highland and Donahue.

Officials took the body away on a stretcher just before 8 a.m.

“I didn’t hear a single thing,” said Emmanuel Roy, 20, who lives just a few buildings down the street on East University Avenue. Roy said he awoke for work and was confused by the large police presence.

He was first alerted to the shooting by a friend of his, a UC student, who heard shots and got a text from the university.

“This street is usually perfectly fine,” he said. “I didn’t expect anything to happen here.”

Police are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have been impacted by this tragic incident,” said Lt. Jonathan Cunningham, “this is simply heartbreaking.”

‘I knew what it was’

Ronald Caulton, 75, said he was sitting on his porch when he heard “four strong blasts” and instantly recognized it wasn’t fireworks but gunshots.

Caulton, a Vietnam War veteran who lives on Donahue Avenue, likened the blasts to the sound of a shotgun. He said the sound of another 10 shots rang out shortly after.

“I knew what it was, there was no mistaking (it),” he said.

“It’s normally quiet here,” Caulton said, adding that his daughter called 911 to report the gunfire. “The community has just changed so very much.”

Notifications sent out by UC

The first notification from UC was sent out at 2:55 a.m.

“UC Emergency – Police responding to emergency reported on Highland/ E University. If safe, stay at your location. Be observant/take action as needed. More info soon,” the message said.

UC Emergency- Police responding to emergency reported on Highland/E University. If safe, stay at your location. Be observant/take action as needed.

— UC Public Safety (@UCPublicSafety) July 1, 2024

At 3:12 a.m., the emergency upgraded to a shooting. At 3:52 a.m., a third UC Alert was sent out with an “all-clear.”

Mass shootings in Cincinnati, Ohio

There is no settled definition of a mass shooting, but Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people are injured. Using this definition, this is Cincinnati’s second mass of the year. Five people were shot on June 15 in Madisonville.

Since the beginning of June, there have been eight mass shootings in Ohio including three in Columbus, two in Dayton, one in Akron and another in Euclid.