CINCINNATI — Cincinnati police need the public's help identifying a "person of interest" in the murder of a Corryville groundskeeper.
Cincinnati police said 43-year-old Nicholas Kernan was shot around 3 p.m. on May 23 near the intersection of Bellevue Avenue and Donahue Street while doing some landscaping. He was taken to UC Medical Center where he later died.
CPD on Wednesday released this video of the man they are trying to locate:
Additional pictures of the person of interest in the murder investigation that occurred on May 23rd, in the 2900 block of Bellevue Ave. pic.twitter.com/KbGuOy518S
— Cincinnati Police Department (@CincyPD) June 7, 2023
CIS Commander Cpt. Steve Saunders said police are not calling the man a suspect, just a person of interest in the murder investigation.
"We'd like to talk to this person to find out where they were and what they were doing and what information they might have," he said.
"Obviously it's a very heinous act. It happened in broad daylight in a very populated area near a college campus, Saunders said. "We want to give the family answers, we want to give the community answers and certainly the coworkers that worked with the victim."
Uptown Rental Properties said they're working with Crimestoppers to offer a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
"Nick was part of a comprehensive grounds crew that does everything from setting out garbage cans, to sprucing up landscaping," said Uptown Properties President Dan Schimberg.
Schimberg said Kernan has been an employee since late March of last year.
"He was described as a teddy bear. He's friendly and outgoing and he's the kind of guy who would do anything for anybody. And he's a guy who doesn't have a mean bone in his body," Schimberg said.
The company said it is working with Cincinnati police and hopes to get a suspect arrested as fast as possible.
"We're all Cincinnati, everyone should want this guy off the street. Because clearly, this guy is a danger to anyone and everyone," Schimberg said. "As helpless as we feel, we want to be part of the solution of apprehending this guy."
Last month, police said they have identified a suspect and they believe the person is violent and could do something like this again. However, police didn't release that suspect's identity.
Kernan's co-worker, Aladdin Roper, said they were in the area doing landscaping work when he was shot.
"I just know that me and my co-worker was just doing our job, and we went to go get beverages because it's a hot day out," Roper said. "In an instant, we heard the shots ... and we responded. Come to find out, it was our co-worker."
Roper said officers were already at the scene when they arrived, but none of them could provide any information on what happened.
Just down the street from where the shooting happened is Noble Barber and Beauty.
“It’s taken us all by surprise," Owner, Vernon Jackson said.
Even though it happened so close to his business, Jackson said he still feels safe in this neighborhood that he's been a part of for more than a decade.
“It’s something that we as a community have to get together and figure it out and how to at least come in for the family," he said.
Schimberg said most of his employees were given the day off Wednesday. The company is also providing counseling services to employees impacted by the tragedy.
"We're just shocked. We're angry and we're sad. And frankly, it's pretty scary. That that kind of senseless random crime, murder, would take place in the middle of the day, with a guy minding his own business, cleaning up some landscaping."
Uptown Rentals is most known in the region for providing off-campus student housing for University of Cincinnati students. The company also owns and operates rental properties in the greater Cincinnati area along with Northern Kentucky and Florida, according to the company's website.
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