A mass shooting has disrupted a popular annual community festival in Toledo, Ohio, leaving multiple people injured and triggering an urgent manhunt for the perpetrator or perpetrators, local law enforcement confirmed. The Toledo Police Department confirmed that officers were dispatched to the area of the Old West End Festival following an emergency report of gunfire, where they discovered multiple people with gunshot wounds. Multiple victims have already been transported to local medical facilities for urgent care, authorities said, though no official count of wounded individuals has been released to the public as of Saturday morning.
The Old West End Festival, a long-running two-day celebration of one of the nation’s largest contiguous historic districts, draws thousands of attendees each year for a lineup of activities including live musical performances, open-air food markets, a public beer garden, historic home tours, and local artisan shopping. Investigative work is currently focused on the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Robinwood Avenue, an area that festival organizers mapped as the primary hub for the event’s food and live music offerings, placing the shooting in the heart of the festival grounds.
In a public advisory, Toledo Police have ordered local residents and out-of-town visitors to avoid the perimeter of the active investigation scene to ensure public safety and support ongoing police work. The BBC has initiated official contact with the Toledo Police Department to request additional details surrounding the incident, including the number of victims, potential descriptions of the suspect, and possible motives. This is an active, developing breaking news story, and further updates will be published as more verified information becomes available. Readers can access real-time updates through the BBC News mobile application or by following the BBC Breaking News official account on X.