Police hunt suspect in Cleveland mass shooting that left 9 wounded

At least nine individuals were wounded after a gunman opened fire on a group of people early on Sunday morning at the corner of West 6th Street and Johnson Court in Cleveland. Authorities continue to look for the suspect, who fled the scene immediately after. 

Police officers responded to a call at around 2:30 a.m. reporting a shooting in the city’s historic Warehouse District, said Police Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia in a statement. 

When police arrived, they encountered seven men and two women, aged 23 to 38, with gunshot wounds, said Police Chief Wayne Drummond. The victims were all rushed to a local hospital. One individual was critically wounded, while the rest sustained minor injuries. 

It remains unclear what led to the shooting, Drummond added. Police are investigating the incident and are reviewing surveillance videos and conducting interviews to figure out what may have led the gunman to open fire. 

“We’re not sure what happened,'' Drummond said. "We have no information at least right now from our investigators that there was any type of issue or concern or trouble.''

So far, there have been no arrests in connection to the shooting. The suspect, who fled the scene after opening fire, has not yet been identified. Police are offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the suspect’s arrest. 

Mayor Justin Bibb called the incident “tragic and sad,” adding that it “truly shows the massive gun problem we have, not just in Cleveland, not just in Ohio, but across this nation.”

"I'm really proud of our officers. They were here and they responded immediately. They ran to the gunfire and took care of the victims until EMS could respond," Drummond said. "I hope what they did helped save some of those victims."

The shooting comes after the Fourth of July weekend recorded 22 mass shootings throughout the holidays, according to the Gun Violence Archive.