INCINNATI, OH (FOX19) – A 15-year-old has died at the hospital after being shot by officers on Fountain Square friday night.
Police say Jwan mccloud was shot shortly after 7:00 p.m. at the busy downtown landmark after he pulled out a gun.
Craig told FOX19 the original call came in that a group of individuals were throwing guns over a fence into the celebration are at the Midwest Black Family reunion. Officers were dispatched to search for the group, and Craig said those officers followed suspects who resembled suspect descriptions to Fountain Square.
The officer approached Mullins, and after a brief discussion, searched him. The searched happened outside the 5/3 Bank at Fountain Square, and was captured on surveillance video by eight cameras in the area.
The search continued until the officer felt something hard under the suspect’s clothes. Police say Mullins then turned very aggressive and a struggle ensued.
Chief Craig says the officer saw a handgun on Mullins’ body and backed away from him. The suspect then aimed the gun in the direction of the officer and that’s when the officer fired, striking Mullins.
“No officer comes to work looking to engage in any kind of force, particularly when you are talking about a loss of life,” says Craig.
A FOX19 employee who was in a restaurant on the Square was told to stay away from the windows. She saw people running west across Vine Street from the Square, seemingly trying to get away from the situation.
The officer is on administrative leave, which is standard protocol.
Craig says the shooting is being investigated, but that as this time he believes the officer had no choice.
Walnut, Vine and Fifth Streets adjacent to Fountain Square all remained blocked off to traffic for several hours.
Mayor Mark Mallory assured the public that the square was a safe place, however, all concerts and events scheduled for Saturday night were canceled.
“This should not be acceptable anywhere. A 15-year-old carrying a gun through the streets of Cincinnati is a bad formula. And we need for that to stop,” says Mallory.
This is the second officer involved shooting within two days and the fifth time an officer has had a gun fired at him in the past month.
A press conference will be held Sunday by Chief Craig and Mayor Mallory to update the public. FOX19 will be there and bring you the latest information as it’s made available.
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