Two adults and one student shot outside Whitmer Memorial Stadium during game

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Two adults and one Whitmer student were shot, Friday, outside of Whitmer Memorial Stadium during a football game against Central Catholic High School.

At approximately 9:32 p.m., an off-duty Toledo Police officer at the game, informed Lucas County Dispatch that shots were being fired at the stadium. The officer, along with 15 other off-duty deputies began evacuating attendees and searching for victims, who were eventually located near the football field house, according to a TPD press release.

According to the Toledo Police Department, two females and one male were shot. Toledo Fire and Rescue arrived on scene and began treating the victims and then they were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

There are no suspects at this time. Anyone with related information to the incident is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (419) 255-1111.

TPD Chief George Kral, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and Washington Local School Superintendent Kadee Anstadt made the following joint statement.

“Last night was a terrible and traumatic event. Thankfully what can be said about what happened at the Whitmer / Central Catholic football game is this: all 3 victims sustained only minor injuries, and they will all be OK.

The City of Toledo and the Washington Local School system are working together to determine what transpired during the 4th quarter of the game. Surveillance video has already been helpful in identifying the potential target, and while no one is in custody at this time, TPD will continue its investigation until all facts are gathered and justice is served.

A total of 16 law enforcement professionals were working the game, so a substantial police presence was in place before the event occurred. Additionally and according to WLS policy, all guests entering the stadium were scanned with a metal wand for weapons. Following the shooting which occurred outside the stadium, WLS officials did a superb job of executing its emergency evacuation plan, which played a crucial role in protecting the safety of those in attendance.

There is still a lot we don’t know about the events of last night, but we do know this -- what happened in our City was unacceptable. Everyone should be able to enjoy a Friday night football game without having to fear for their safety.

We are thankful that no one was seriously injured, but we will not rest until those involved are brought to justice -- and events like this never happen again.”

Anstadt posted a video to Facebook for the community, explaining the facts of the crime.

“We want you to know that you are safe, this is a crime that was unrelated in any way to the Washington Local student. We want our students and staff to know they are loved,” Anstadt said.

Whitmer High School will be open on Sunday, Oct. 9 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for staff, students and families to come and speak with counselors. There will additional support and information for parents seeking help on how to talk to children about traumatic events.

Washington Local Schools District Officials released a statement to the families within the district, the statement is below.

“Dear Washington Local Families, an act of violence occurred outside the stadium at tonight’s football game between Central Catholic and Whitmer. At this time, we know that three people were shot, including two adults and one Whitmer student, and were transported to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries. No guests were injured in the evacuation, and we could not be prouder of our students, staff, Whitmer fans, and our guests from Central Catholic. The Whitmer Athletic policy of wanding and screening all guests was enforced, and the WLS pre-established safety plan was initiated immediately. We will update as further information becomes available,” District officials said.

In a statement, released by Central Catholic High School, Head of School Kevin Parkins pleaded for the community to prioritize safety.

“... we have to continue fighting each and every day to make sure our world, our country, our state, and our community here in Northwest Ohio understands how valuable life is. And so we continue to strive for that each and every day,” he said.

Central Catholic has a planned day off for professional development on Monday, Oct. 10. But, they are allowing students to come on campus and meet with two school counselors. But they ask that those who plan on attending reach out this weekend as well as check in with the main office upon arrival.

On Tuesday, Oct. 11 the high school will gather as a school community, where Parkins will share additional thoughts and information about the incident.

In addition, Parkins thanked Washington Local Schools for their quick response and efforts to ensure the safety of attendees.

“I’d like to offer a word of gratitude to the Whitmer administration and police who responded tonight. In those moments of chaos, they were able to pro Click here to view the full statement.vide us with some guidance that was really important. We continue to thank law enforcement for their tireless work to try to keep our community safe,” he said.

13abc crews were live on the scene at Whitmer and reported seeing shell casings along the street at the corner of Whitmer and Edgar, which is the southwest corner of the high school stadium. The witness told 13abc that there were about eight minutes left in the game. However, the game was abruptly paused, after shots were fired.

The witness recalled hearing what sounded like fireworks before masses of people including spectators and players ran to the fieldhouse to take cover.

Below is footage, showing individuals running to take cover following the shooting.

This is a breaking story; check back later for updates.

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