Ohio high school shooting during football game, three hurt

NEW DELHI: Police in Ohio said three people were wounded in a shooting outside a high school football game that sent people on the field and spectators in the stands running for cover. Police said the shots were fired behind the Whitmer High School stadium in West Toledo at about 9:30 pm Friday during the game with Central Catholic High School.

A Whitmer student and two adults were wounded, said Washington Local Schools spokesperson Katie Peters, who called it “an act of violence". Two victims were taken to ProMedica Toledo Hospital and the third to Mercy Health St Vincent Medical Centre, the Toledo Blade reported. An update on their conditions wasn't immediately available. WTOL-TV reported police saying two people were taken into custody; no charges were immediately announced.

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Dispatchers told responding police that witnesses reported two people in black ski masks firing shots and a vehicle then speeding away, the Toledo Blade reported. Play was halted with less than seven minutes remaining as police and fire crews converged on the stadium, the newspaper reported. “No guests were injured in the evacuation and we could not be prouder of our students, staff, Whitmer fans, and our guests from Central Catholic,” Peters said.

The school district's security and screening measures were used during the event, Peters said. Lisa Gonzalez told the Toledo Blade that she was in the restroom when she heard one shot and she emerged to chaos outside. “Everyone was screaming, They're shooting, they're shooting,' and we just ran,” she said. Kevin Parkins, Central Catholic High School's head of school, said junior varsity and freshman football games scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled.

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He said in a video statement Friday night the Central Catholic student body will gather on Tuesday to “talk to them, support them, but also pray”. “This is an opportunity too, as parents, guardians, for you to also engage your child in a conversation,” Parkins said, WTOL-TV reported. “We have to continue to fight each and every day to make sure that our world, our country, our state, and our community here in Northwest Ohio understands how valuable life is,” he said.