Six injured in multiple East Cleveland shootings

Early Monday in East Cleveland, Ohio, six individuals sustained injuries in at least three separate shootings near a high school class reunion, according to local police.

Gunfire began shortly after 1 a.m. close to where Shaw High School alumni were celebrating their annual reunion, as stated by city officials and witnesses.

East Cleveland Acting Police Chief Kenneth D. Lundy reported in an afternoon statement that officers responding to the incident found a wounded man. While investigating, they discovered a woman nearby with multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics treated both victims on-site before transporting them to a hospital.

Approximately an hour later, officers still in the vicinity heard extensive gunfire from a nearby Mobil gas station. Arriving at the scene, located near Shaw High School, they found three more gunshot victims. These individuals were also taken to the hospital, some by police and others in private vehicles.

Around 2:30 a.m., officers were alerted to a different location several blocks away from the Mobil gas station, where they found a sixth shooting victim, who was subsequently hospitalised.

The motive behind the shootings was still under investigation by Monday afternoon. It remained unclear if the incidents were connected or if any victims had attended the reunion.

The conditions of the victims were not immediately available, and no arrests had been made concerning the shootings.

A $5,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Police urged anyone in the area during the shootings to contact the East Cleveland Detective Bureau.

The incidents prompted assistance from law enforcement agencies in nearby communities.

East Cleveland City Council President Twon Billings expressed his distress over the events, noting that the Shaw High School reunion is a significant weekend event for graduates and community members. He suggested that a local police shortage might have influenced the events, highlighting the reliance on mutual aid from Cleveland Heights, University Heights, and various ambulance and fire departments.

Billings emphasised the need for a stronger police presence in such situations, describing it as tragic that so many people were shot during the reunion event.