3 injured in Ohio high school shooting outside stadium

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – Ohio police said three people were injured in a shooting outside of a high school football game that caused people to take to the field and spectators to take cover in the stands.

Police said the shots were fired around 9:30 p.m. Friday during the game against Central Catholic High School behind Whitmer High School’s stadium in West Toledo. A Whitmer student and two adults were injured, said Washington Local Schools spokeswoman 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 Center, the Toledo Blade reported. An update on their terms was not immediately available. WTOL-TV reported to the police that two people were taken into custody; No charges were immediately announced.

Dispatchers told responding police that witnesses said two people in black ski masks fired shots and a vehicle then sped away, the Toledo Blade reported. The game was halted with less than seven minutes remaining as police and firefighters rushed to the stadium, the newspaper reported.

“No guests were injured during the evacuation and we couldn’t be prouder of our students, staff, Whitmer fans and our Central Catholic guests,” Peters said. The school district’s security and screening measures were applied during the event, Peters said.

Lisa Gonzalez told the Toledo Blade that she was in the bathroom when she heard a gunshot and emerged into the chaos outside.

“Everyone was screaming, ‘They shoot, they shoot,’ and we just ran,” she said.

Kevin Parkins, principal of Central Catholic High School, said the junior and freshman football games scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled. He said in a video statement Friday night the central Catholic student body will gather Tuesday to “talk to them, support them, but also pray.”

“This is also an opportunity for you as a parent, guardian, to engage your child in conversation,” Parkins said, reported WTOL-TV. “We must keep fighting every day to make sure our world, our country, our state and our community here in Northwest Ohio understand the value of life,” he said.