Multiple people shot near Old West End Festival in Toledo; police search for suspects

The Toledo Police Department said "many victims have been taken to nearby hospitals" for treatment. Police did not immediately release the exact number of people shot or the extent of their injuries, and officials noted that further details would be posted on the department's social media accounts as they became available.

Sergeant Mohamad Nasser, a spokesman for the Toledo Police Department, said more information would be released shortly on the department's social media accounts. Investigators are analyzing multiple bystander videos shared on social media in an effort to identify the shooter or shooters, and detectives are working to determine the circumstances of the shooting.

Witness accounts and investigation

After the gunshots rang out, panic spread through the crowd and attendees began running to safety, according to witness accounts. Some witnesses and vendors at the scene told local media they saw at least three to five people on the ground immediately after the shots were fired, though police have not confirmed that count.

Officers from the Lucas County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, along with firefighters, joined Toledo police in responding to the scene. Detroit Avenue was also closed to traffic near the area as part of an isolation perimeter, and police asked members of the public to stay away from the entire affected area until further notice.

About the Old West End Festival

Law enforcement is actively searching for the suspect or suspects involved in the shooting, and the motive had not been disclosed as of Saturday evening. No arrests had been announced, and the suspects remained at large, according to the Toledo Police Department.

The Old West End Festival is a well-known annual two-day celebration in Toledo's historic district and includes live music, food vendors, home tours and shopping. The event is famous for its Saturday morning parade, live music concerts, markets and historic tours, and is held in one of the districts in the United States with the highest concentration of Victorian architecture.

The alarm was triggered around 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, and the immediate aftermath forced the suspension of festival activities as emergency crews secured the scene. Police urged residents and visitors to avoid the area to ensure public safety and to allow investigations to proceed unimpeded.