Four people dead in Cincinnati bank shooting
Building locked down for most of morning
CINCINNATI — A shooter opened fire Thursday morning in a building in the heart of Cincinnati in an attack that left three other people and their killer dead, police said. The shooting sent people scrambling across the city’s Fountain Square amid cries of “shooter!”
It happened at a 30-storey building, home to the corporate headquarters for regional banker Fifth Third Bancorp and other businesses, including popular ice cream, pastry and sandwich shops.
The bank building was locked down for most of the morning and surrounding streets and sidewalks were closed off.
Police Chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire at about 9:10 a.m. at the loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building. Isaac said the killer then entered the bank’s lobby where he exchanged gunfire with police. It was unclear if the shooter shot himself or was shot by officers.
The shooter wasn’t immediately identified, and police didn’t comment on possible motive. Police later swarmed an apartment in North Bend, Ohio, a village some 26 kilometres west of Cincinnati. They didn’t immediately explain the search.
“So, a very horrific situation,” Isaac said at the shooting scene. “We’re in the very early stages (of the investigation).”
Federal and state agents were on the scene as police searched through the building.
Michael Richardson, who works in the bank building, told The Cincinnati Enquirer that he was standing outside the entrance when he heard gunshots in the lobby.
“I looked behind me and saw the guy — he shot and then he shot again. After that I started running.”
Fifth Third operates some 1,200 banking centres in 10 states. The company in a statement said it’s working with law enforcement and offers thoughts and prayers for “everyone caught up in this terrible event.”