Police checked on party near Withrow hours before shooting, but didn't break it up
About four hours before 18-year-old Lamon Wiggins was shot and killed at a gathering near Withrow High School early Saturday, police responded to the party but did not break up the crowd, Chief Teresa Theetge said Tuesday.
The Cincinnati police chief spoke at a press conference Tuesday announcing summer initiatives to curb violence. She reported a 50% reduction in the number of juveniles shot compared to last year, a 5% reduction in overall shootings and a 30% reduction in the number of guns being reported stolen.
Theetge also spoke about the party in Hyde Park. Wiggins was a senior at Withrow and had graduated earlier that day. Investigators said a crowd of about 50 people had gathered near the high school when gunfire exploded leaving Wiggins dead. No other injuries were reported and no arrests have been announced.
The shooting occurred around 3:30 a.m. Theetge said police responded to the gathering around 11:30 p.m. after a 911 call.
"At that moment, it was a party, a youth party. There was no need to break it up at that time," Theetge said. She said officers handle these situations on a case-by-case basis and when they had checked on the gathering earlier in the evening there was no indication of violence.
The Enquirer has requested reports and recordings of the 911 calls related to the incident, but those have not yet been released.
Summer safety
Last year holds the record for the most teens between 13 and 17 shot in a single year. The city and police outlined their continuing efforts to curb this violence over the summer.
Mayor Aftab Pureval said the city wants to ensure "every family has access to a peaceful and thriving community."
All 24 city pools will be open this summer, and the Saturday hours will be extended to 11 p.m. at two recreation centers: the Hirsch Recreation Center in Avondale and the Lincoln Recreation Center in West End. The new schedule starts June 8.
City Manager Sheryl Long also announced she was forming a youth manager's advisory group to give young Cincinnatians a direct line of communication with city government.
The Cincinnati Police Department is holding its Citicamp, for children who have experienced trauma, and its cadet program for youth interested in law enforcement. This summer, the department is also holding a Safe Gun Storage Week in partnership with Whitney Austin who was wounded in the Fifth Third Center shooting in 2018.
The city has set up a one-stop place to find resources and activities for kids called Summer in Cincy at www.cincinnati-oh.gov/summerincincy.
"We have to keep our foot on the gas pedal," Theetge said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Chief talks summer safety in wake of killing near Withrow High School
