NEWTOWN, Conn. – At least 12 people were wounded after gunfire erupted on a busy street near the Old West End Festival in Toledo, Ohio on Saturday. Law enforcement stated that two individuals may have been shooting at each other. Currently, no suspects are in custody and a motive behind the shooting is unknown.
Authorities have stated that most of the victims were in their early 20s, and the youngest is just 14 years old. The victims are reported to be in stable condition.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 170 mass shootings nationwide since the start of 2026 in which four or more people were injured or killed, excluding the shooter. Many of these shootings occurred at public gatherings like graduation ceremonies, sporting events, places of worship, and many others – a public health epidemic unique to America.
The state of Ohio has experienced at least five mass shootings since the start of 2026, including Saturday’s events.
In response to this attack, Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“Our hearts are with the injured victims and their loved ones, caught in the crossfire between individuals that decided to let their conflict bring unimaginable harm onto so many others. An event like this shatters the sense of safety for everyone in the community, traumatizes so many – and frankly, we should all be angry.
“Summer should be a time for simple moments of togetherness – outings, community festivals, and making memories with loved ones. But families in our country can’t enjoy something as simple as a night out without the threat of being shot. We should not have to worry that these moments will be shattered in an instant by gunfire and violence. We don’t have to accept this. There’s so much we can do to end this epidemic, when we transform our collective anger into sustained action.
“By teaching communities to recognize the warning signs of violence and to intervene, we can stop these tragedies. Prevention is possible, but only if we choose to look out for one another and act before the first shot is fired.”
For more information about gun violence prevention, resources for how communities can heal after a tragedy, and information about life-saving firearm access policies, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
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