Toledo festival – A weekend shooting near Toledo’s Old West End Festival left 12 people with gunshot wounds, and police say it began after a dispute between two rival groups that escalated into an exchange of gunfire. Investigators are still seeking suspects after recovering tw
The gunshots came near a festival that draws thousands to one of Toledo’s most historic neighborhoods each year. By the time the Toledo Police Department arrived around 5:37 p.m. ET on June 6. there was already a heavy police presence at the Old West End Festival—off-duty officers working the event included—and some officers heard the shots.
At least twelve people were injured, and while police say some victims may have been intentionally targeted, investigators believe most were caught in the violence as innocent bystanders.
Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle said investigators believe the incident stemmed from a dispute involving two rival groups. Speaking at a news conference on June 9. he described their work as showing that the confrontation led to “a foot chase” and a physical altercation before escalating into an “exchange of gunfire between individuals involved.”.
After conducting multiple interviews and reviewing video evidence. investigators concluded that one person produced a firearm and opened fire during the altercation. prompting a person from the rival group to return fire. Troendle said. He added. “While investigators believe some of the victims are intentionally targeted. the majority of those injured appear to have been innocent bystanders caught up in this senseless act of violence.”.
The police department has not publicly identified any of the victims injured in the shooting. Toledo Police Lt. Dan Gerken said the ages of those shot range from 14 to 61 years old, with most in their early 20s. Troendle said the investigation remains ongoing as officers work to identify the suspects.
“Right now, our focus is on finding those responsible for this violence,” Troendle said. “Our thoughts are with the victims and everyone whose lives were impacted by what happened. We remain hopeful for their continued recovery.”
Authorities had previously said they were searching for at least two suspects who started shooting at each other near the festival. Troendle said the suspects are believed to be two men, ages 18 to 24.
At the same June 9 briefing, Troendle said police have not arrested anyone. He described efforts that included search warrants and the identification of “several persons of interest” as investigators follow leads.
“We have not arrested anybody at this point,” the police chief said. “We have very significant leads on who’s involved, and we are hoping to be able to make some arrests here shortly.”
Investigators have also recovered two firearms believed to be connected to the incident. Troendle said the firearms were being processed and examined as part of the investigation.
Behind the intense law-enforcement work, city officials were focused on the victims’ condition and what comes next for the festival.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said the victims are “expected to survive.” Troendle said investigators believe three people were involved in the incident and nine were innocent bystanders. Kapszukiewicz added that nine victims had already been released from the hospital. while three remained hospitalized but were no longer in critical condition.
“They’re either in stable or good condition,” Kapszukiewicz said. “So we didn’t have a loss of life and that is a blessing, if not a miracle.”
Earlier updates from police had said all 12 victims were “reported to be in stable condition and continue to improve.”
After the shooting, festival organizers canceled events on June 7 as authorities urged residents to avoid the area while suspects were sought and evidence collected.
Kapszukiewicz said he believes city officials should set a new date to conclude hosting the Old West End Festival. He added that a date in late summer or early September “should put a bow on that weekend the way it should and show that we can unite.”
He also said city leaders were discussing security changes for events like the festival, including strengthened curfews, using wristbands for entry points, and expanding opportunities to use cameras and check bags.
“Our heart is broken, and it will take time to work through what happened, and to seek to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” the mayor said.
For now, police say the investigation is still moving—armed with video reviews, interviews, and recovered evidence—while the search continues for the rival-group suspects tied to an incident that began in a dispute and ended in gunfire near a community gathering.
Toledo shooting Old West End Festival rival groups exchange of gunfire 12 injured Michael Troendle Wade Kapszukiewicz firearms recovered suspects at large
So sad. Why are they always fighting at festivals?
I mean a rival group dispute… okay but how did it even get that far if there were off-duty cops there. Sounds like it was chaos already.
Wait they say foot chase first?? Like the shooting was after everyone already was running around and someone “opened fire” during the altercation. I just don’t get how they can tell who was innocent if people were “targeted” too…
This sounds like the usual neighborhood stuff, like people think it’s gangs or whatever but then they blame “two rival groups” with no names. Also Old West End Fest every year right? It’s always the same story: kids hurt, police show up, then they never catch the right suspects. SMH.