"This has to stop:" Toledo police chief pleads for cease fire after violent Tuesday

Aug. 4—Toledo's summer of gunfire found its way Tuesday evening to Franklin Park Mall, where an argument that started inside ended with multiple shots fired in the parking lot.

Unlike three of four other shootings in Toledo during that violent day, no one was injured in the mall shooting reported just before 7 p.m., but police placed the busy shopping mecca on lockdown afterward while they cleared the scene and began work toward identifying an unknown gunman.

The day had started with Toledo's 41st homicide of 2021 outside an East Toledo bar, and two other people were less seriously wounded later on. The day's fifth shooting broke out among members of a large gathering Tuesday evening at Navarre Park, also in East Toledo.

"This has to stop," Toledo Police Chief George Kral said. "We as a society have to take personal accountability for our emotions and actions. Sadly, some are too quick to use a gun to solve their problems.

"What they fail to realize is when this happens it does not solve problems, it exacerbates them. Now, they have possibly injured someone or taken a life. I believe those using firearms don't realize how they are affecting their own lives, let alone their victims. Countless lives are forever changed due to a moment of irrational thoughts," Chief Kral said.

Police were able to make a quick arrest in connection with the fatal shooting reported early Tuesday morning outside the Last Chance Saloon at 457 Oak St. in which Earl Price, 64, of the 1000 block of Liberty Street was wounded several times. He later died at Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center.

Michael Marsh, 24, of the 800 block of Kingston Avenue, was arrested and subsequently charged with murder and was held Wednesday in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $1 million bond pending a hearing next Tuesday.

Wounded later Tuesday were Kyle Glover, 37, of the 400 block of Crittenden Avenue, who was shot in that block just after 3 p.m., and Jesse Guillermo, 42, of the 600 block of Federal Street, who was shot in the 3200 block of Mercer Court about 7:40 p.m.

Mr. Glover was admitted to St. Vincent, according to police who said he was shot at least once after getting into an argument with another man. Information about his condition was not available Wednesday.

Mr. Guillermo told police he was walking on a path between Mercer Court and Airport Highway when he "walked by an unknown black male" who then fired a shot that hit him in the arm. He was admitted to ProMedica Toledo Hospital, which also had no public information about his condition.

No one was injured in the other two shootings Tuesday evening, including the one shortly after 7 p.m. at Franklin Park that prompted the police lockdown. It reportedly started with a dispute inside the Don Juan Bar & Grill that spilled out into the parking lot, where as many as 10 shots were fired. Police identified two men as specific targets of the gunfire, but the shots only hit two vehicles.

Both mayoral challengers expressed disappointment in the current administration's efforts to curb the violence.

"The shots fired at Franklin Park Mall last night is a picture of Toledo resembling a Wild West picture of early days," Toledo mayoral candidate and former mayor Carty Finkbeiner said. "We are one of the most violent cities in America today, and that is unacceptable."

Mr. Finkbeiner said the Kapszukiewicz administration has consistently failed throughout its four years to halt such violence, and "that it happened in the parking lot of Franklin Park Mall" shows it can happen anywhere in the city.

"My administration successfully fought back against gangs and violence during my three terms as mayor," he said. "My pledge to Toledo citizens: violence will be halted with a Finkbeiner administration. The Toledo Police Department still is the toughest, most efficient public safety team in Toledo. I'll stand firmly with and behind TPD."

Police separately responded to Navarre Park in East Toledo after the occupants of several cars began exchanging gunfire near a large gathering of people. No injuries were reported, but a rear window on one of the vehicles involved was shot out.

"There are too many guns on the street and people can access them too easily," Toledo Councilman Cerssandra McPherson said. "Right now it's like everybody's shooting. People have to start to value life, value one another's lives, value their own lives."

The violence Tuesday is "just another example of how out-of-touch" the current administration is, said Jan Scotland, the Republican Party's candidate for mayor. He said police have become inclined toward over-caution because they don't know if they'll "be supported if they do their jobs," and as mayor he would strive to "repair the relationship issues" between government leaders and the police.

The mall shooting "shows that there's no boundaries" for where violence can occur, but that neighborhoods where violence is more common should not be devalued. Criminal behavior is "a horrible pandemic on its own" and one that will take some time to address.

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said in a statement that Tuesday was "another reminder of the challenges cities all over the country are facing with gun violence.

"That's why my administration has decided to attack the root causes of the problem by making long-term investments in targeted areas, while also providing immediate help by increasing the number of police on our streets and working with Chief Kral to give them the tools they need to do their job."

City spokesman Ignazio Messina said those targeted areas include the mayor's initiative to reduce gun violence, the youth summer activities and jobs program, and community outreach. The tools that police have been equipped with include surveillance cameras, body cameras, and the expanded ShotSpotter program, he said.

ShotSpotter uses acoustic sensors to detect gunshots and locate them using triangulation from multiple sensor locations. Information is relayed to ShotSpotter's 24-hour Incident Review Center for confirmation, then relayed to 911 dispatchers — a process that takes less than 60 seconds, according to police.

In June, Toledo police activated a second ShotSpotter alert zone in the city while reporting that the technology's initial local use has been 97 percent accurate in identifying gunfire.

As to the mayor's initiative to reduce gun violence, Mayor Kapszukiewicz first announced it in September saying the city wants to address the root causes of gun violence including social factors such as various inequalities, housing, mental health, and employment. In February, the city hired Toledo native JoJuan Armour as program manager.

"We are in the second phase of our strategic planning to reduce gun violence." Mr. Armour said Wednesday, adding that the first phase was the assessment of the situation, including getting the data from the police department regarding the ShotSpotter program.

That phase also included building relationships with local organizations, reviewing the Cure Violence Global information, getting input from the community, and vetting social and emotional curriculums for the youth, he said. Cure Violence Global, Inc. is a Chicago-based organization that presents gun violence as an illness.

"Now that we are in the second phase, we are identifying the capacity for our ability to mobilize all stakeholders and resources to address the needs of the community," Mr. Armour said. " It also includes sharing our findings with local humans services agencies, corporations, community members and other stakeholders, including Toledo police."

First Published August 4, 2021, 11:57am