*Latest news on the story as of Wednesday morning, June 10: The Toledo Police Department released a statement that they have issued a warrant for Ka Nye Taylor, 20, Black male, 5’11, 130 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes, in connection with the June 6 shooting at OWEF. The police also have photos of a second shooter and are looking for tips on his whereabouts.
Anyone with tips can call Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. An award of up to $10,000 through Crime Stoppers is on the table for information provided leading to an arrest. Find the full TPD Facebook post here.
TOLEDO – In his first in-person appearance to the press since the Old West End Festival (OWEF) shooting on Saturday, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz talked about taking a multifaceted approach to curb gun violence and about finishing the OWEF later this year.
“What happened on Saturday is not normal…It’s something that we have to address, so we welcome the scrutiny, and look forward to telling Toledo’s full story,” Kapszukiewicz said at the conclusion of his planned address concerning the OWEF shooting.
Grateful that there was no loss of life amongst the 12 shot, Kapszukiewicz confirmed that none of the individuals who were hospitalized because of the shooting are in critical condition anymore. But even without the loss of life, Kapszukiewicz said Toledo is hurting due to a loss of innocence over the weekend.
Gun reform
“There are a number of things that need to happen as a result of Saturday,” he said, and contextualized the shooting as the 174th mass shooting in the United States this year.
“One,” of the main things Kapszukiewicz said needed to be addressed was that “we are the only country in the world where mass shootings happen with any sort of regularity.”
“We are the only country in the world where there are more guns than human beings,” he said and began to lay out stats on mass shootings, gun-to-people ratios and how much more prolific guns are in the United States than in any other country in the world.
Politically, the mayor doubted gun reform would happen at the national level, but painted gun reform as the easiest, most pragmatic solution.
Community approach
“There are local actions that we can and need to take, and actually all of us need to take them,” the mayor said.
Community responsibility was alluded to for parents, young people, faith leaders, police and local government.
“We are two hours into the second business day since this event happened, and so we don’t have any policies or procedures or ordinances that we’ve passed, but we’ve already begun to debate them,” Kapszukiewicz said.
“And I think going forward, you are going to see some change in how we handle certain events.”
Wristbands to confirm a 21-and-older age, more opportunities for cameras and more searches of bags were pragmatic steps the mayor suggested concerning events.
Ultimately, Kapszukiewicz put a limit on the ability of these reforms to effectively curb gun violence, pointing out that a curfew wouldn’t have stopped the shooting that happened around 5:30 p.m., and that “the series of events that produced Saturday all began when a police officer checked a book bag.”
“In other words, even when the policies that we imagine may be put in place to address something like this, the exact same things could have happened.”
Forward
Transitioning away from countering gun violence, Kapszukiewicz focused on making Toledo a better place.
He highlighted an economic development conference on Wednesday, and also said, “I think we should finish the old West End festival” in late summer or early fall.
“I think if the national media sticks with us long enough to see how we respond, they will see a resilient, tough, gritty city.”
Updated investigation
Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle spoke expressing gratitude to a series of different groups and law enforcement entities assigned to the Old West End during the festival, and interspersed new information on the shooting.
“Investigators believe this incident stemmed from a dispute involving two rival groups,” Troendle said, and spoke with confidence during the Q&A about this as a fact based on video evidence. “This is most definitely two groups that were disrespecting each other, and that led into a little bit of a foot chase,” he said later.
Three of the 12 victims appear to have been involved with the responsible parties.
“Investigators have also recovered two firearms believed to be connected to this incident, which are currently being processed and examined as part of the ongoing investigation.”
During the Q&A, Troendle said those two firearms were recovered through interviews with several people of interest.
Regarding the incident with the backpack, Troendle provided this clarity: “One of the deputy sheriffs actually grabbed the bag and was going to check the bag, and another kid snatched it and ran off with it. Because there was a firearm inside the bag.”
No one has been arrested yet, and from the law enforcement side, Troendle said they did not have any indication that the shooting was about to happen. But at the end of questions, Troendle identified the suspects as Black men between the ages of 18-24 years-old.
Troendle said on staffing for the OWEF, “We had an adequate number of officers at this event to try to maintain safety at the event. Unfortunately, you know, there are incidents that happen rapidly, and unfortunately, we are not clairvoyant.”
Troendle went over the safety precautions in place at the festival.
“17 law enforcement officers were specifically assigned to the old West End festival,” an additional “30 officers working throughout the district, including four officers assigned to the perimeter surrounding the festival,” two mobile cameras were deployed inside the festival and 14 Ohio State Highway Troopers were deployed after the shooting occurred.
Old West End advocates
A heartfelt address was given by At-Large City Council Representative Nick Komives, a resident of the Old West End.
“Governor DeWine has expressed concern after the shooting, as he has after others, but concern is not a policy; sympathy is not a solution,” he said, and offered more pragmatic steps towards gun regulation.
“Families deserve more than statements after tragedies. They deserve leadership before tragedy occurs. Ohio needs action. We need stronger penalties for illegal gun trafficking and straw purchasing. We need investments in violence interruption programs to identify conflicts before they become shootings.
“We need greater support for community-based intervention efforts that connect young people with mentors, jobs, and opportunities. We need safe storage requirements to keep firearms out of the hands of those who should not have them.
“We need stronger tools for our law enforcement and courts to intervene when credible threats of violence emerge, and we need sustained funding for mental health services, trauma recovery, and neighborhood-based prevention efforts.
“None of these measures alone will end gun violence, but doing nothing guarantees that it will continue.”
President of Council and Representative for District 4, which includes the Old West End, Vanice Williams offered a few short words following Komives.
“There’s an event on June 13, this Saturday, at 11 o’clock at Monroe United Methodist on Monroe Street. They are having a gun buyback program,” she said.
Additionally she referenced, “The Healing and Compassion Fund, you can give to the Healing and Compassion Fund that helps survivors of gun violence at the United Way.”
All present expressed gratitude for the first responders, solidarity with the affected community and a firm resolution that the shooting would not define the people, community, neighborhood of the Old West End or the city of Toledo.
Monsieur William Kubacki, a resident of the Old West End for 18 years and the Rector of Rosary Cathedral for 14 years, closed the press conference in prayer.
“May God’s gracious blessing fill us with hope, peace, and joy,” he said.
