One man was killed and six other people were shot in six different incidents in Toledo between 9:45 p.m. Friday and 9:15 p.m. Sunday.
Fighting gun crime is an ongoing process, according to City Councilman Vanice Williams, who represents District 4, where all but one of the shootings occurred. While dismayed at the weekend’s events, she was resolute in the city’s ongoing efforts to combat gun crime.
“Gun crime is down, but we are still working on it,” she said. “There is not just one thing that can be done. It is a collective effort; it is a community-wide situation.”
Ms. Williams is also vice chairman of the council’s Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform Committee. She described various ways the city is reducing gun crime in the Glass City.
“It is the environment, blight being removed, streets being repaved, resources being poured into a neighborhood so people do not feel comfortable breaking the law,” she said. “They need to know they aren’t under the radar.”
The ongoing effort is necessary “so people do not feel as comfortable tearing things up,” Ms. Williams said.
She cited a variety of city initiatives, including the twice monthly Clean Toledo Recycling drop off events, the Urban Beautification block-by-block bulk pickup events, and the Department of Economic Development's White Box Grant Program, as continuing efforts to improve city neighborhoods.
“Clean, safe, livable neighborhoods are priority No. 1 in the city,” she said. But she acknowledged there is more to do. “At the top level, we need to talk to the legislators to see how we can get some of the guns off the streets.”
Ms. Williams knows nothing will completely eliminate gun crime.
“No matter how many vacant houses are torn down, some people are just innately evil,” she said.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment Monday.
Andrew McQuin, 35, told police he was shot at Chase and Albany streets about 9:45 p.m. Friday. He went to Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to his leg not considered to be life-threatening.
On Saturday, emergency crews treated Damarion Berry, 18, for at least one gunshot wound before he was taken to St. Vincent with injuries described as not life-threatening. He was found shot at 9:37 p.m. at Earl Street and McKinley Avenue.
Responding to a ShotSpotter alert at 11:31 p.m. Saturday, police found Taronn Allen in the 900 block of Lincoln Avenue, suffering form an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to St. Vincent.
Ja'Marr Holmes, 17, was treated and released from ProMedica Toledo Hospital after he suffered a graze wound Sunday. The teen told officers a car pulled up and began shooting at a house he was visiting in the 3500 block of Hoiles Avenue at 7:37 p.m. Sunday. Witnesses told police multiple people came out of the house and returned fire before the car drove off.
Police recovered a semi-automatic rifle from the front yard of the Hoiles Avenue house.
Najaye Owens, 19, of Mansfield Road, was found at 8 p.m. Sunday in a garage in the 2100 block of Elm Street with a fatal gunshot wound. The death is still under investigation.
At 9:15 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 800 block of Walnut Street on a report of a person shot. They found Robert Grey with an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to St. Vincent.
A short time later, Katalina Haskins, 29, arrived via private car at St. Vincent and underwent surgery for a gunshot wound she suffered during the same incident. Her injury was not thought to be life-threatening.
Three people hve been arrested in the incident involving Mr. Grey and Ms. Haskins.
Anyone with information about any of the shootings is asked to call or text the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward.
Most Popular
Comments / 0