Police said victims were taken to hospitals as officers searched for suspects Saturday evening.
TOLEDO, OH — Multiple people were shot Saturday evening near the Old West End Festival in Toledo, sending festivalgoers running as police found wounded victims and began searching the area for the person or people responsible.
The shooting brought a heavy police and medical response to one of Toledo’s best-known neighborhood events, a weekend festival built around music, food, art, home tours and the city’s historic Old West End district. Police said several victims were taken to nearby hospitals, but they did not immediately release a confirmed number of people shot or explain what led to the gunfire.
Toledo police said officers responded at about 5:37 p.m. to a report of a person shot near Delaware Avenue and Glenwood Avenue, close to the festival grounds. When officers arrived, they found multiple people with gunshot wounds. “Many victims have been transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment,” the department said in a statement. Police said the suspect or suspects had left the area before officers made an arrest.
Officials asked the public to avoid the area while officers searched nearby streets and worked to secure the scene. Roads around the festival area were closed as investigators looked for evidence and emergency crews moved victims to ambulances. Videos from the scene showed people running and crouching as shots rang out. Other footage showed first responders treating wounded people on the street and moving stretchers toward waiting ambulances.
WTOL-TV reported that Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said eight people were shot and that the injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Toledo police had not immediately confirmed that total in their first public statements. The department also had not released the names or ages of the victims, the number of shooters, a motive or whether any weapon had been recovered. Investigators said they were still working to determine the circumstances of the shooting.
The Old West End Festival is an annual community event held in a Toledo neighborhood known for historic homes and tree-lined streets. The festival includes live music, food vendors, art, shopping and home tours, and it draws families and visitors from across the city. Saturday’s shooting happened during the first day of the two-day event, turning a crowded public celebration into a crime scene just before evening.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he was concerned about the violence and said he and first lady Fran DeWine were praying for those affected. “Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence,” DeWine said. He also said he was confident law enforcement would locate the suspects involved. Local police remained the lead agency in the immediate response.
Witness Kevin Berry told the Associated Press he was relaxing in a nearby arboretum when the gunfire began and people dropped to the ground. Berry, a former Navy member with medical training, said he saw at least five people who appeared to have been shot. He said police officers who were already working at the festival moved quickly toward the wounded and the area where the shots were fired.
The investigation remained active Saturday night. Police had not announced arrests, charges or a scheduled briefing. The next major update was expected from Toledo police as detectives reviewed witness accounts, video from the area and evidence collected near Delaware Avenue and Glenwood Avenue.
Author note: Last updated June 6, 2026.