CINCINNATI — Elected officials and community leaders are calling for “difficult conversations" following a Fourth of July shooting at a downtown park that left two young people dead and three others injured. 

What You Need To Know

  • A shooting at a popular Cincinnati park left two teens dead and several others injured on July 4

  • Community leaders are calling for a conversation regarding the rise in youth violence.

  • Mayor Cranley has asked the city manager to convene a meeting of the City Manager’s Advisory Group

  • Pastor Damon Lynch Lynch is inviting community members to New Prospect Baptist Church for a town hall discussion on Saturday, July 10

Damon Lynch III, pastor at New Prospect Baptist Church in Roselawn, took part in an an hour-long interactive chat on Facebook late Monday.

"Let’s begin this conversation about what’s going on in these streets," said Lynch.

The incident that prompted this call for a conversation happened Sunday night at Smale Riverfront Park. Police said just before the crowded site was set to close, around 10:48 p.m., a shooting left several teens injured and two dead.

According to police, 16-year-old Milo Watson died at the scene, and 19-year-old Dexter Wright Jr. died at a local hospital. Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said Monday that he believed the shooting stemmed from a preexisting dispute between the two.

Police said three​ other teens, all under the age of 18, suffered injuries in the crossfire. Isaac said one of them, a 17-year-old girl, remained in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

Smale Park was busy Sunday, with holiday festivities taking place along the Cincinnati riverfront. Officers were escorting a crowd of 400 to 500 people out of the park at the time of the incident.

The area has become a popular hangout for young people.

Isaac said the Cincinnati Police Department has been aware of problems at the park and working to address those issues for the past year.

"Our cops have been diligent about patrolling in parks that attract groups of teenagers—and will continue to do so—but this issue is much deeper and cannot alone be solved with crime fighting strategies,” Mayor John Cranley said in a statement.

Echoing those sentiments, Isaac said that while CPD has strategies in place, a solution to the problem can't be made by police alone.

“This is going to take everyone being involved,” Isaac said. "We don’t want to over-police, nor do we want to under-police — we want to find that correct balance. In order to do that, we’re going to have to have some partnerships.”

"We want people to come out; we want ministers, teachers, mentors,” he added. "When our young people are out at events, we want responsible adults out there to supervise. We don’t believe uniformed police officers are the sole answers."

Lynch called the issue a "generational issue" that may take several years to solve.

“I don’t think this is an overnight solution. We need to raise up a generation of young people who love themselves, love their community, love their Blackness, love their families, love each other," he said.

Lynch is inviting community members to New Prospect Baptist Church on Saturday, July 10, to continue the conversation. The event will go from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The goal is to "raise powerful questions and determine what is in our heads and in our hearts."

"It starts with a conversation. Nothing changes without dialogue," Lynch said. "We’ve got to come together."

Lynch said Saturday's event would be one of at least four such events he plans to host, including one for teens and young people.

Council Member Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney said the community would play a significant role in addressing the issue.

"Everyone is asking why, and we know there is not just one answer, there are several: Too many guns being dropped off in our communities and then falling into the hands of young people. The wealth gap is getting wider and those struggling economically are having an even harder time. And we are not doing enough for our young people."

She added that more job opportunities, education and recreational activities are essential. But things like mentoring and community involvement are important, too.

"There is no easy fix," Lemon Kearney said. "All of us — City Council and our communities — must continue to work together, and failure is not our option. Neither is giving up."

Cranley has asked City Manager Paula Boggs Muething to convene a meeting of the City Manager’s Advisory Group. Born out of the Collaborative Agreement, the MAG provides information, analysis and recommendations to the City Manager regarding police-community relations. 

The MAG regularly meets, but Cranley requested a specific meeting to "examine causes, evaluate resources and ultimately create a plan to address youth violence" in Cincinnati.

"These kids are turning to violence to solve their problems, to retaliate when they feel they have been wronged,” he said. "This is rooted in problems faced by youth long before they engage in such acts. We need help from the community.”